


Then There Was You

by teakturn



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Accidental Knotting, Alpha Peter Hale, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dead Scott McCall, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Good Peter, Knotting, M/M, Mating Bites, Omega Lydia Martin, Past Character Death, Scent Marking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-21
Updated: 2018-12-27
Packaged: 2019-03-07 18:48:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 36,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13441020
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teakturn/pseuds/teakturn
Summary: Peter Hale had tried being a husband and a father and he turned out to be terrible at both things. That fact doesn't discourage his older sister and Alpha from butting her nose into his life anyway.





	1. Chapter 1

A blanket of rain covered the sleepy town of Beacon Hills and Peter Hale felt poetic. While the rest of his town slept in their homes, protected from the torrent of rain Peter attempted to drive through. Talia had demanded his presence at their ancestral home for “pack business”. Peter loathed his sister as he carefully navigated the slick city streets. Peter drove through a damp ghost town.

The only people up this late, aside from him, are the poor souls working the graveyard shift at the McDonald’s outside of town, the hospital, and the police station.  
Peter should be in bed, sipping his late night glass of Malbec and working through another chapter of his novel for the week. Then again Talia had been against him getting his own apartment in the first place. It was easier for Peter to ignore her when he wasn’t living in the same house as her. She’d call and if Peter didn’t feel any distress through their pack bond he’d let it go straight to voicemail.

The unfortunate part of this whole arrangement was that as her Second, Peter couldn’t ignore her calls for long. Eventually, a call has to get through, though by then Talia is usually angry enough with him to forget what she called for. Why he chose to answer on the first ring this time he’ll never know. 

Peter made the turn onto the trail leading into the Preserve smoothly despite the vision-impairing downpour on his windshield. He parked behind his brother-in-law’s sedan and turned the car off. Peter didn’t get out the car immediately. He took a few deep breaths and reminded himself that Talia was also his Alpha not just his annoying older sister. 

With his car stopped and the windshield wipers off, the rain was free to turn his mirror into a blurry mess. He stared at the house in front of him with dread. Even when reduced to just a few blurry lights in the darkness the house looked menacing in the dark. The rain made it hard to hear into the house, but that didn’t mean that his sister, or worse yet his nieces and nephews, weren’t aware of his arrival.

It took some bargaining and a quick pep talk, but eventually, Peter exited his car and made a dash for the wraparound porch. He ran with his head down to keep the rain off his face. When he approached the door it swung open for him. Peter flinched inwardly, expecting Talia. Instead, he was greeted at the door by his younger sister. He smiled at the sight of Anna and swept into the foyer with the amount of drama expected of him. Peter wrapped Anna up in a hug and swung her around the entryway.

“You’re late. You know how Talia feels about tardiness.” Anna spoke through the giggles. His younger sister would always be that little girl with lopsided pigtails to him, especially when she laughed.

Peter put her down before he spoke and affected an air of smug indifference. “Talia is lucky I’m even here seeing as she just took me from my bed in the middle of the night.” the bitterness he hoped to hide still crept through in the way he bared his teeth in a facsimile of a smile. Anna, already used to the tension between her two older siblings took his coat without comment.  
The Hale house looked menacing from outside, but indoors it was a picture of cheery domesticity. In front of the door, a familiar pile of shoes was stacked messily on top of the drooping shoe rack. The sound of late night cable playing from the living room made him feel like a child all over again, sneaking through the house to pilfer cookies while his parents snored in front of the tv.

“Mom and Dad still up?” Peter checked his watch with a frown.

Anna’s didn’t look at him as she said, “Well we kind of called you down here for a reason Peter. Talia wasn’t kidding when she said that we needed you.”  
Peter wanted to roll his eyes, of course, they need him. Peter had learned early that as far as Talia was concerned his antics were only tolerated because he did all the work she couldn’t do. As two Alpha’s they butted heads, but as pack members, they were efficient and ruthless. The latter thanks to Peter and all the hard work he put into making his name the most feared from the alleyways of the Beacon Slums down by the waterfront to the gated communities deeper into town.

Peter had grown to accept the fact that he will always be seen as the sledgehammer behind his fair Alpha sister. He took pride in his work, though acceptance of his role in the pack was not the same as his sister’s approval. Talia knew Peter’s hand in their success as a pack, that didn’t mean she wouldn’t look down on him in spite of it.  
“Not all of us can run for town mayor Tally,” Peter mumbled under his breath while he walked towards the living room. 

He kissed his mom on the cheek and let his dad clap him on the back a few times during a hug before he went into the kitchen where he could hear Talia waiting for him. Since she inconvenienced his night she can wait while he greeted the people who raised him. Peter spent an indulgent twenty minutes letting his parents just talk to their heart's content. At minute thirty Talia stomped into the living room, lifted Peter out of his chair by his collar, and then dragged him to the other side of the house. 

A tiny Omega with damp clothes and stringy hair sat at the kitchen island with a mug of something warm turned cool in her hands. She shook, but it wasn’t because of the cold. She didn’t look up when Peter entered the room, but he noticed her jerk a bit when Talia released him on the other side of the island.

“I’m gonna go get another blanket.” Talia spoke gently to the shaking Omega. With a warning glare, Talia left Peter with the shaking Omega.

The Omega was beautiful under the smudged makeup and mud. Her hair would probably shine a golden red once clean. Her teeth were all there from what he could see between shivering pale lips. A subtle sniff in her direction confirmed his suspicions, blockers. Higher end too. Which meant this Omega had a home, maybe even someone looking for her.

“I could reheat that for you.” Peter spoke gently, the Omega tensed at the sound of his voice anyway. She peered up at him through her hair as if seeing him for the first time. Peter tried to make his face as pleasant as possible. He couldn’t make himself seem non-threatening if he tried, but he could put the Omega at ease at least. Talia would be back any minute.

The Omega went back to her shaking and a strained silence settled over them. Peter couldn’t smell what was wrong with her, which unnerved his Alpha instincts and his wolf. It had been five minutes and still no Talia. Anna had gone to bed around the time he settled down to talk to their parents. Omega or not Peter couldn’t let his parents around this stranger to the pack and their home. 

“Anyone we can call?” Peter asked. The Omega didn’t speak, but her head turned side to side ever so slightly. Peter counted that as communication.  
“Anyone that might be looking for you? Anywhere you need to be?” Peter pulled a notepad out of one of the drawers and a pen out of his pocket. Sensing that approaching her wouldn’t be appreciated, he slid the pad and pen across the counter. 

The Omega picked up the pen and wrote, in surprisingly neat handwriting. Once finished she nudged the pad back in Peter’s direction before rising from the stool she’d sat on and going towards the back door. Peter watched the Omega has she opened the back door. The roar of the rain filled the otherwise silent kitchen.

“You don’t want to go out there with the weather like this,” Peter edged his way closer to her, “Plus that door will take you straight to the Preserve and that is a place you would not like at night.” Peter moved smoothly behind her and guided her, with a light touch to the small of her back, away from the open door. The Omega moved under as if under a trance.

He got her back in her seat without any trouble at all. The Omega was fully capable of moving around which meant she wasn’t injured in any way. But she moved as if someone else were pulling the strings and she herself was just along for the ride. When Peter turned to shut the door he took note of the muddy footprints on his mother’s welcome mat.

“How about a name then?” After closing the door Peter returned to his place on the other side of the island. He slid the pad back to his side of the counter and felt immediate relief when he recognized the address she’d written down.

“Hey, this is the Martin house near the high school.” Inspired, Peter moved around the kitchen to locate the old phone book and the landline. He placed both in front of the Omega just as Talia walked back into the kitchen.

“We tried that already. The Martin’s moved out of the place six years ago during that string of fires,” Talia paused to glance at the Omega, “No one’s owned the house since even though the investigation wrapped almost a year ago.”

“And why wasn’t I told that when you left me alone with her?” Peter glared at his sister. Talia ignored him in favor of wrapping a familiar knit blanket across the Omega’s shoulders.  
“Well if you’d have come when I asked-”

“Talia I got here within twenty minutes in this weather, how fast could I have arrived?” Peter almost let her get a rise out of him, but he cut his ire at the quick. If they got into an argument now he’d never get to leave. 

“How about instead of wasting both of our time with the same argument I’ll just cut to the chase.” Talia cut him off with a glare, “ Omega Martin is stranded in our town and until I can locate who her Alpha is I need you to let her stay at your place.” Talia pressed her lips together in a polite smile for the Omega’s sake, but her eyes bore into Peter’s forehead with heat.

“No. There, problem solved. I really don’t see why I needed to drive eleven miles in the rain just to tell you that.” Peter nodded at the Omega politely, “Nice to meet you, you’re a great conversationalist but I really must be going.”

Talia hurried to get in Peter’s way before he could get around the island, “Peter I’m not asking you, this is an order.” Her eyes flashed red in warning. Peter felt a pressure in his throat as he attempted to stare his Alpha down.

“Why can’t she stay here? Grandad didn’t build this three-story house for aesthetics.” Peter managed to step around her only for Talia to yank him back by the collar of his sweater. He reeled on his sister with a growl, “Talia I swear to God if you stretch my neckline!”

“Peter there’s not enough space with James and the kids and Anna and her family. Mom and Dad already claimed the apartment in the attic.” Talia wisely gave him some space but she kept a grip on the hem of his shirt to keep him from leaving. “Peter I wouldn’t ask you if this wasn’t important you know that.”

Peter sighed and rolled his eyes before stepping out of his sister's grip. Talia was prideful and arrogant, but she understood how to make the best decision for the pack. He disliked her, but he trusted her, and as his Alpha, he more or less had to obey her. Peter glanced over at the Omega to see how she felt about the situation, he found her sleeping with her head pillowed in her arms. She looked younger with her face relaxed. She’d looked like prey earlier, hyperaware and afraid though the blockers hid those emotions from her scent.

“How long can I expect this guest you’ve foisted on me, Alpha?” Peter spoke through gritted teeth. Talia was kind enough not to gloat over the victory.

“Once we find her Alpha she can go right back where she came from.” Talia made the promise so easily. Peter’s eyes almost rolled to the back of her skull.

“And if we can’t find her Alpha or any other next of kin? You said it yourself there’s no room in the house for her and the town won’t stand for an unmarried Omega cohabitating with an unmarried Alpha.” Peter spoke slowly, so even his knotheaded sister could understand.

Talia didn’t look the least bit worried over whether or not they’d find a home for the Omega. Peter narrowed his eyes at his sister, “Are you trying to set me up, dear Alpha?”

At this Talia scoffed, “Of course not. And I’m not worried about what the town thinks because the town isn’t to know she’s here. Not until we have more information about where she’s come from and why she’s here.”

Peter understood his role quite clearly in that moment, “Oh I see,” he said, “You want me to vet her for the family and then what, you introduce her to Derek?”

Talia glared at him, “That’s not my plan at all. The case for those fires was solved only a year ago, Omega Martin was a child at the time but that does not mean that whoever did it won’t follow her here. Stop trying to assume some sinister plot.”

“Then tell me what you want from her and my role in your plan!” Peter couldn’t stop himself from getting riled up by the circle Talia was attempting to talk him into. 

Talia sighed, “Well if you must know I felt bad for an Omega caught in the woods and the rain all on her own in a town she doesn’t know anyone. I figured my brother would be the perfect person to protect her until she gets on her feet.”

Peter cocked an eyebrow, “You’re brother the lone Alpha?”

“You and I both know that Omega Martin has nothing to worry about.” Peter didn’t like the knowing look his sister sent him. He didn’t like anything about what she was saying. Most of all he didn’t like the fact that, like the sentimental fool he was, he’d already agreed to take the Omega in.

“Could you pack her a bag of Laura’s old clothes? I don’t think this needs to be said but I doubt getting my scent all over her by letting her borrow my clothes is a good idea.” Peter accepted his defeat with as little sulking as he was capable of.

Talia packed the Omega three bags of hand-me-downs and included a few unopened packs of underwear. Peter loaded the car while Talia roused the Omega and walked her to Peter’s car.  
“Call me if you need anything and don’t hesitate to ask Peter for things as well,” Talia threw a sly look at Peter over the hood of the car, “He’s my Second in command around here and should be just as helpful as me.”

“If not more, “ Peter added cheerfully. Talia ignored him in favor of placing the Omega, and the knit blanket, into the passenger seat of Peter’s car. 

The mud on the Omega was mainly concentrated on the Omega’s feet and hands, both of which she had tucked up and hidden within the blanket. She didn’t address or even acknowledge Talia as she spoke. When Peter began driving them away from the house the Omega rested her forehead against the window and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Peter woke up early despite how late he’d gotten to bed the night before. After he set the Omega up in his guest room he’d gone to his office to research as much as possible before he could let himself sleep. The house was a dead end, her parents had both divorced and then remarried before going on to perish back to back. Her dad, a Beta who worked banker who’d died in a car accident that also killed his second wife. He’d managed to find her first name, Lydia. When he’d managed to get her into the guest bathroom she’d emerged pink skinned and rosy-cheeked. Her hair had more red in it than he’d initially assumed and longer than it had looked caked in mud. Any attempt at conversation was met with dead-eyed silence so Peter left her alone.

Peter found more information on her mother after breakfast. Mrs. Martin was an Omega just like Lydia. She’d remarried and Alpha woman in Berkley. Lydia’s trail ended there when her mother and stepmother died in a home invasion gone wrong. Lydia had only been sixteen and had little to no extended family to speak of. There was an aunt, emphasis on was. Her grandmother had taken the girl in until Lydia was able to get the courts to grant her Emancipation.

Death followed this Omega like a shadow. Peter didn’t like the odds of whatever bad luck she carried around with her touch his family. Talia would want all this information and more once she finally called to check up on him. Peter gathered the information he’d managed to collect into a neatly formatted document. The exercise took him the rest of the morning. 

Lydia didn’t come out of the guest room. Peter had thought about offering her breakfast, Talia would have wanted him to. But Talia would also want him to get the information she asked for, so Peter prioritized. He decided that if Lydia didn’t emerge by lunch he’d bring her a plate of something and a glass of water. 

He concluded his work before twelve thirty and made himself a chicken caesar salad wrap with enough for his guest should she want some. As he cooked he focused on the sounds of her room or any scent of Omega distress. Those blockers should have worn off by now at least, he should start smelling that telltale Omega sweetness mixed with whatever her scent was. He smelled nothing but his meal and his growing frustration.

Peter told himself he was frustrated that Lydia was making him a bad host. Talia would no doubt ask Lydia how he’d behaved and if the girl said anything other than, “Peter waited on my every need like a servant,’ Talia would give him that disappointed look.

He decided to give the Omega until he assembled his wrap to come out of the room for lunch. Peter couldn’t even hear the sound of her moving in the room. He listened to her heartbeat and found it steady and strong. It beat slow, which let him know she was asleep. Peter relaxed a bit and then made a wrap for the Omega to eat once she woke up. He stored it in the fridge next to a glass of water before taking his lunch with him into his office.

Lydia finally approached Peter around five in the afternoon. After compiling the information he’d had on her parents he’d moved onto her grandmother. Information on her father had been a cakewalk of public Facebook pages and an embarrassing search history. Finding information on her mother had been slightly harder since she’d changed her last name when she remarried, but nothing outside of Peter’s capabilities. Granny Martin was proving to be a hard old woman to find.

You’d think there’d be a marriage license but the old woman was private and kept her information to herself. There was a house, but that was in her husband’s name. The woman didn’t have any social media and the one bank account he’d been able to find hadn’t been touched in years. Peter was just starting to suspect that the old woman had died some point before computers existed when Lydia appeared in his doorway.

Peter put his computer to sleep and closed the folder holding her family information with one smooth motion that ended with him on his feet and approaching her. “Are you hungry? I made you a plate earlier.”

Lydia stared at him with haunted eyes and a face set in a careful mask of strength and confidence. Peter bet she thought she was masking her pain amazingly, but he could smell her real scent now. Lydia smelled like warmth and cranberries cooked in sugar. With her blockers worn off he could also smell the anxiety and fear she hid behind a cracked porcelain mask.  
“I want to speak with Alpha Hale.” the little Omega said. Peter was surprised by how breathy and soft her voice sounded. She spoke with authority and the expectation that she would be listened to. Annoyingly it reminded him of Anna and he found his lips smiling without his permission.

“What would you like to say, I’m sure I could send the message along.” Peter crossed his arms over his chest and flexed with a sharp inhale. Lydia’s head cocked to the side and her eyes, two hazel green stained glass windows, turned assessing.

“I’m sorry when I said I wanted to speak to Alpha Hale I meant the Alpha of the Hale Pack. Talia Hale?” Lydia’s smile was polite and cutting all at once. She looked beautiful, sickly, but beautiful.

“My sister is one of the unlucky few of us who works in civil service so if you want a meeting with her you’ll have to wait until she’s free.” Peter smiled just as politely and then stepped around her. Peter wanted to get her away from his office and something told him she wouldn’t allow him to have the last word.

Lydia was on his heels before he could make it down the hallway, “Can I trust you to take me to meet with Alpha Hale or are you the goon she employs to discourage strangers from joining your pack?”

Peter turned on a dime and loomed over her, “What are you talking about?” In his research, he hadn’t seen any connection to the supernatural. Her scent was distinctly human, cranberries and something warm. Earthy, like petrichor after a heavy rain. Petrichor reminded him of funerals.

Lydia’s scent spiked with fear but she didn’t flinch at his sudden proximity or the threatening growl in his voice, “I know about werewolves. I didn’t want to but I do now and ever since I found out it has ruined my life.” Despite her show of strength, Lydia fought off tears as she spoke. 

Peter didn’t let himself soften to her, he’d seen better display’s from worse. Little Omega or not she knew about werewolves, now it was his job to figure out how she connected werewolves to his family. Peter made his body appear relaxed before placing gentle hands on Lydia’s shaking shoulders. He looked into her eyes and put on as sympathetic a face as he could muster. “How about we get you some food and you can tell me what you’ve gone through. I’m Alpha Hale’s Second.”

Lydia’s eyes widened in shock once she realized who she’d insulted, and her pale skin flushed a beet red. Peter secretly enjoyed her shock even as he courteously guided her to his kitchen. He sat her on a stool and retrieved her wrap from the fridge. Serving it cold was better than serving warm lettuce so he didn’t bother with heating it up.

Lydia didn’t seem to mind that it was cold. She ate greedily and Peter could smell the distress and relief on her. He started some water for pasta and took out some flour and butter for a roux. Once she’d finished her wrap, Lydia cleared her throat pointedly.

“I do want to say that I am sorry I insulted you, Alpha Hale.” Lydia sounded sincere. Peter snorted and turned back to seasoning his tuna.

“No, you’re not,” Peter said with his back turned. He could smell her annoyance from his place near the oven.

“Pardon, Alpha Hale.” Lydia sounded so polite Peter wanted to grind his teeth.

“Okay look you can stop with that Alpha Hale stuff. When you’re in my house just call me Peter, it’ll save time.” Peter placed his tuna steaks in the oven and turned to find Lydia looking at him thoughtfully.

“Okay, Peter.” She said his name like she was trying on a coat. “I’m Lydia.”

Peter decided to play nice and smiled back at her genuinely, “Nice to meet you, Lydia. Now, would you care to start from the beginning of how you found us and why you’re here?”  
Lydia nodded slowly, “It’s a long story,” she warned, “And there are parts of it I don’t remember.”

“Just tell me,” Peter added the pasta to the boiling water.

Lydia began her story in Beacon Hills when she and a few classmate discovered werewolves. They were only in middle school and they’d found the information out when a friend of theirs was revealed to come from a family of hunters. The friend hadn’t known, and once they all found out the friend’s aunt had tried to scare them all to keep them quiet.

“Then Allison found the bodies,” the way Lydia said those words scared Peter. The Omega’s eyes had gone black and her skin almost translucent. The moment passed but it haunted Peter for the rest of Lydia’s tale. 

The friend finds the bodies so the kids go to the authorities and the aunt goes berzerk on the families. She sends them threats and manages to set three of their houses on fire and then one of the kids dies from smoke inhalation. After that Lydia and her family moved away and last Lydia had heard the hunter family left right after.

Peter found that he’d cooked a dinner he no longer had an appetite to eat. He knew of the Argents, knew some of them well enough to know exactly who Lydia was talking about. Kate had always been a sick woman, he’d never pegged her for going after children though. It made sense that she was responsible for the death of the McCall kid.  
“Look, I know that as a human when you go through a traumatic experience-”

“I’m not human!” Lydia snaps. Peter steps back from the force of it. His ears ache just long enough for them to heal and then he shoots Lydia an unimpressed look. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I am.” Lydia adds quietly, “All I know is that after killing one of my best friends Kate killed the rest of my family in her quest to capture me.”

Peter was starting to resent his sister more and more. He had told her time and time again that they couldn’t play good samaritan to ever Dick and Denise off the street. This fragile Omega his sister thought she was saving could have brought death down on them all. Peter looked at his dinner with regret, before turning back to Lydia.

“Okay, I see why you would come to us, but I don’t see why you expect us to help you.” Peter didn’t try to soften the blow of his words. His pack’s safety came first, pretty Omega or not she was not his responsibility.

“Your family needs an Emissary, I need protection. I see this as a mutually beneficial arrangement.” Peter is impressed with her confidence.

“Little girl, do you even know what being an Emissary means? How old are you twelve?” Peter was sure Talia’s soft spot would make her want to help the girl, but it would take a miracle to get his sister to accept Lydia as her Emissary. Talia Hale listened to no man, especially if that man is her Second.

“I didn’t ask to be put in this life, but now that it’s mine I need to survive in it.” Lydia’s voice shook with emotion, “I lost everything and now I’m back here which means it needs to end.”

Peter smelled the bitter salt scent of tears a second before Lydia brought a hand up to her mouth and curled into herself. Sobs racked her small frame, leaving Peter speechless as she broke down in front of him. It took her two minutes to get control of herself, he could tell it was two minutes too long for her pride when she refused to meet his eyes.

“Will you take me to Talia Hale so I can plead my case to her?” Lydia looked him in the eye then, and for the life of him Peter couldn’t figure out how to say no to her.

“I said I would, didn’t I?” Peter needed to get away from her and that cranberry scent attached to her, it was making his nose ache.

Peter made each of them a plate and Lydia ate, at a much slower pace this time. Before they left she changed into a pair of jeans too long for her and a shirt and jacket that added bulk to her slight frame. It had been wet and windy lately, Peter wanted to tell her to get a hat before he remembered that he didn’t care if she got cold.

They drove in silence until Lydia decided to mess around with the radio. Peter let her, he didn’t care what she switched the stations to since he was deep in thought about what to do with her. Talia would be in favor of letting her stay, but Peter wanted to be sure it was the right idea before he agreed or disagreed on the issue. Then there was Lydia’s plan to become the pack Emissary. The last Emissary, a bald stoic man named Deaton, had arrived in time for Talia’s coronation only for her to tell him that his services weren’t needed.

The arrived in the preserve with enough light left to get a good look at the house. With the rain gone the house looked old and stately with its red brick facade and white-columned porch. There was an attached garage with a gate that led to five acres of Hale owned land. Peter couldn’t help but watch for Lydia’s reaction to his childhood home and was disappointed to see a mask of indifference in place.

Anna greeted them at the door with a big smile and a glass of lemonade Peter happily took a sip from. “You may not remember me from the night before but I’m Anna, Peter’s sister. It’s so nice to see you looking all,” Anna’s eyebrows shot up into her hairline as she tried to think of a polite way to say clean and not catatonic.

Peter took mercy on her, “Do you know where Tal is, we need to speak with her.” Anna pointed upstairs and mouthed study. To Lydia, she beamed and said, “I was just making lunch and refreshments for the family do you think you could help me?”

Lydia opened her mouth to refuse but then Anna brought out her dimples and looked so hopeful that Lydia said yes. Peter was able to leave her in his sisters loving hands while he dealt with the sister responsible for his migraine medicine.

The house was a mess, as usual. Peter ran through a living room filled with his twin nephews and their various toys. His father was snoring in his chair but woke up as Peter passed to gruff out a hello. Carefully, Peter walked up the stair and squeezed past his arguing nieces. Finally, he reached the study and was able to enter it’s soundproofed freedom without tripping on any dolls or running into his mother.

“Peter? What are you doing here? Where’s Lydia?” Talia looked like she had only just gotten back from work. Her hair was tied up with a pen and hopefully a rubber band. She smelled like ink and exhaustion.

“I have a lot to tell you and only as long as it takes Anna to keep Lydia distracted to talk to you about this.” Peter sat down in the seat across from her desk and relayed a summarized version of what Lydia told him. He included what he already knew about the fires and the Argents, and ended by letting her know that Lydia was here for both protection and to become the family Emissary.

“That is….complicated.” Talia said after three minutes of silence, “Why our pack if she’s so knowledgeable about the supernatural. There’s a pack up there in San Francisco that could have taken her in.”

Peter looked at his sister incredulously, “That’s your only take away? Why us?”

Talia shrugged, “I actually went to work today Peter so excuse me if I’m a little tired.”

Peter rolled his eyes at the dig. “Fine, be tired. But you need to figure out what to tell her because I don’t think a girl like her will accept a no.”

Talia studied him, “What makes you say that?”

“At twelve years old she and her friends attempted to take on Kate Argent. I think coming back to Beacon Hills, accepting whatever part of her is supernatural, all has to do with how she feels powerless. The school records I was able to access paint Lydia as an intelligent girl. We don’t know what she is and we can’t afford to make an enemy.”

“We also can’t afford to have the Argents feeling a need to attack us.” Talia countered. 

Peter scoffed, “Please, Chris? Attacking us? Christopher Argent is the most honorable hunter out there. He’s steered the Argent’s to live entirely by The Code like a religion. Gerard passed thanks to cancer and Kate is on America’s Most Wanted list.”

Talia sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, “You think we should take her in.”  
“That’s not what I said.”

“That’s not what I said” Talia mocked under her breath. “Okay, she can stay, under our official protection under the grounds you work with her on whatever she is.”

Peter opened his mouth to argue only to be interrupted when Lydia gently knocks on the door. He hates that he knows it’s her by the smell of cranberries and graveyards and the steady beat of her heart. “Fine,” Peter grits out, “It would be better that I do it anyway since you don’t have the time and all.”

Talia called for Lydia to enter and Peter left the room. Talia would give her The Speech or whatever equivalent she found best applied to the situation and then there’d be a tour with the most civilized of Talia’s children. Lydia will be wined and dined and she will be told to stay away from Peter if she knows what’s good for her.  
Peter hates that he has to remind himself that it's for the best.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, here's the first chapter of the week. I'm looking at a schedule of two chapters a week. I have a lot of this already written it just needs to be edited and posted. Feel free to let me know what you think or ask any questions. I love feedback. :)

Lydia isn’t ready to leave until midnight. Peter declares either she’s coming with him tonight or he’ll pick her up tomorrow. The silence on the drive back to his apartment is comforting after the noise of his childhood home. Upon entering the apartment Peter leaves Lydia to her own devices in search of his bed. By the time he hits his mattress he is already out.

It’s nearing five a.m. when the screaming starts. Peter’s awake and lurching out of his bed before he even registers that the screaming is from Lydia. She’s in a heap on the floor with her head tucked between her hands. Her scent had gone haywire. Overstimulating his senses with the scent of gut-wrenching terror and the force of her scream. He’s at her side in an instant gathering her into his arms in a half-asleep effort to comfort her. And suffocate the noises she’s making with his chest. 

The scream goes on for so long Peter feels his ears bleed as the reverb makes her body shake. With one final gasp, Lydia stops screaming before fainting in Peter’s arms. The noises outside his apartment are faint as his eardrums heal themselves. He curses and sends a quick warning text to Talia. Then, Peter picks Lydia up against his chest and lays her on the bed in the guest room.

When he moves to leave she grasps at him desperately, “Don’t make me say please. I just need…” she bites her lip, “Could you stay until I fall asleep?”

“Do you want to explain what just happened,” Peter sat down and pretended to ignore the way she curled around him. 

“I don’t know what it is. I can’t control it.” Peter could hear how much it upset her that something had taken control of her life. Something she didn’t understand and couldn’t control seemed like something Lydia wasn’t used too.

“It started when Kate first came to Beacon Hills. It was visions and weird drawings. My grades slipped.” Lydia sounded more upset about her grades than the fact that she was having visions and screaming fits.

“You should get some rest. We’re lucky no one’s broken the door down.” Peter brushed a hand through Lydia’s hair. It felt a lot like comforting Laura or Cora or one of his little nieces. Lydia appeared to allow the contact, but Peter didn’t prolong it.

When she seemed to settle, Peter turned on the bedside lamp and left the room. A check at a digital clock confirmed his suspicions that it was too early to chance going back to sleep. He went into his office and studied the covers of the books on his bookshelves. The family vault had a more extensive collection but he didn’t like the idea of leaving Lydia on her own after her episode.

He had a suspicion of what she might be but he didn’t like the idea of presenting the wrong information to her. Lydia had lived through enough disappointment, he didn’t need to add to it. To start with he grabbed every bestiary he had and stacked them by order of which would take the least time to get through to those he’d have to translate. After setting up his workspace, Peter went and made himself a pot of coffee.

The first two books he selected were duds. Neither of them featured a screaming anything. He hadn’t wanted to crack open one of the books that needed translation but by the time Lydia woke up he had another notebook out and was working through the text line by line. He hoped that, unlike his family, Lydia had enough sense to leave him to his research. He was doing this for her after all.

Lydia moved throughout his space with cautious ease and curious eyes. He heard her in his living room and then his kitchen. Deciding that the girl was smart enough not to burn down his kitchen Peter returned his focus to his work. He kept one ear trained on the cadence of Lydia’s heartbeat.

Lydia entered his study carrying two mugs of coffee. She didn’t meet his eyes after setting a cup he was startled to realize was meant for him on a clear patch of desk. She sat on the couch across the room with one of the books in his reject pile. Lydia didn’t give any sign of wanting to speak or be disturbed. So Peter drank the coffee she made him silently and returned to the page he was on.

They worked in silence for two hours before Peter decided that he needed a break. When he blinked he could see lines of black text and his stomach had a keen ache that meant he needed something to eat. Something he didn’t have to cook preferably. A glance over at Lydia allowed him to catch her watching him. 

He raised an eyebrow in question, “Yes, Lydia?”

“Do you ever eat or am I expected to starve?” Lydia closed her book. Peter found that he liked the way she carefully looked at the page number before closing it.

“Pizza or Chinese?” Peter led the way to his kitchen and opened the takeout drawer.

“Are those my only options?” Lydia’s nose wrinkled as she looked through the menus he had with obvious distaste.

“We could always eat garbage, Princess.” Peter shut the drawer loud enough to startle Lydia into jumping. She glared at him.

“All these places look like they specialize in grease, not flavor. I refuse to eat it.” Lydia threw the menu onto the counter with distaste and turned her nose up. She looked so prim and haughty, Peter wanted to rile her up.

“Fine, don’t eat.” Peter grabbed one of the discarded menus and dialed the number without looking at the name of the restaurant. He ordered his usual and made small talk with the guy on the other phone to stall. He changed his order once or twice to let her know her options but Lydia was obstinate. Peter finished his order and then left the room to return to his work.

When the food arrived Peter decided to eat in the kitchen instead of his office. Although a brat Lydia had been right, the food was really greasy. Peter didn’t see Lydia while he ate but he could hear her in his office. The sound of skin against paper, fabric against fabric, let him know she was back on the couch with a book.

Peter took out the trash after he’d finished eating. He didn’t want the smell of old takeout to spread throughout his place. He returned to find Lydia peering into his fridge. She seemed oblivious to him as she stood on tiptoe to look into the fridge without disturbing the contents. 

Lydia wore a pair of loose shorts and a sweatshirt from the local high school. The shorts had Peter flexing his fingers to keep from touch the calves he could see flexing alluringly. The smooth expanse of skin made Peter want to chase her. Her scent had gotten stronger as she went longer without using blockers. She always wore her hair in a braided ponytail around him, even now it was tucked into a neat bun.

He wanted to reach out and run his finger along the arch of her back and caress the gentle swell of her lips. Lydia Martin was a beautiful Omega with a sweet scent to match. Peter had already seen her flush with anger but he bet she looked even better when flushed with arousal. 

Peter surprised them both when he reached past Lydia and grabbed a water bottle off the shelf. He leaned close enough to feel the heat of her skin before walking away with the bottle. “If you’re looking for leftovers you’d have a better shot in my sister’s fridge. It’s rare that I cook for more than one person.”

Lydia masked her shock with a sarcastic smile, “I can’t imagine you being a man hurting for company.”

Peter placed a hand over his heart as if shot, “I’ll take that as a compliment, Omega Martin.”

“Are you fishing for compliments, Peter?” Lydia asked sweetly.

The Omega wouldn’t back down, Peter was delighted. “We all can’t be as charismatic as you Lydia.”

“Clearly,” Lydia snapped, “This conversation is going nowhere. So I’m going to continue my reading and you can go be a nuisance somewhere else.” Lydia left the room in a huff.

“Exactly what a man wants to hear in his own house,” Peter called to her retreating back. Lydia didn’t acknowledge him but he could hear the furious thrumming of her heart. His nose could smell a musk-like undertone to the cranberry warmness of Lydia’s scent. He filed this knowledge away for a rainy day.


	4. Chapter 4

Nothing in Peter’s personal library had anything specific, but Lydia was able to translate one of the texts. That was enough to give him an idea of what to look for once he went to the family vault. Peter refused to take Lydia with him which put her in a bad mood for the rest of the day. As punishment Lydia didn’t come into his office for two days. He won her over by taking her shopping and taking her to get a haircut. 

Peter expected the Omega to completely disrupt his schedule. Even though he’d been born into a large family Peter had grown to love being by himself. Talia had always teased him about being a lone wolf because he didn’t allow her to meddle in his life the way she did with the rest of the family. Moving into his own apartment satisfied his need for personal space away from the rest of the world. 

Lydia was unlike any roommate Peter’s ever had before. She was clean and organized in a way Peter found complementary to his usual methods. It took her no time at all to choose a space for herself (the guest room, the couch in the office) and leave it looking better once she left. She was an adequate cook as well, Peter knew he could trust her alone in his kitchen. His favorite nephew could burn water and his eldest niece had a habit of starting fires no matter what she was cooking. 

The most surprising part of all is how well they work together. The first night he met her aside, Lydia struck Peter as a person who always looked her best, did her best, and wasn’t afraid to work for what she wanted. While researching Lydia didn’t waste his time with useless, idle questions to fill the silence. He’d expected their first research session to be Lydia’s attempt at politeness since he had opened his home to her and was now solving her problem. But she surprised Peter by loving the act of solving a problem through reading and notes and making connections. And also being intelligent enough to come up with questions the books couldn’t answer.

The questions were what clued in Peter to the true scope of Lydia’s intelligence. Day seven of their cohabitation and they ate dinner together at the table. The table he’d bought because Lydia complained about the height of the stools in the kitchen. Earlier that morning he brought some books home from the vault. The two of them had spent the morning translating pages they hoped would be relevant. Besides the clothes, Peter bought Lydia a cell phone since Kate destroyed her's, and a notebook.

Peter’s face furrowed in concentration as he tried to recall the myth, “Ban side.” He studied Lydia’s notes, “Do you think that applies to you?”

Lydia paused before she spoke, “My grandmother used to read my fairytales when I was younger. Darker versions than the Disney movies. She always told me the same story about a wailing woman.” Lydia pointed to a specific note she’d made, “I found a short passage in one of the texts we translated about a wailing woman. Do you think that means there’s more information somewhere else?”

Peter rubbed his jaw, “Possibly. It could also mean that’s all there is. Not every supernatural creature is open about their origins or whatever creation myth they believe in. Usually, when there’s extensive information of one of us it’s either from the horse's mouth or a hunter.”

A sinking feeling ruined Peter’s appetite when he realized, “That’s probably why Kate wanted you. Having a Banshee around while she killed indiscriminately would bring a lot of heat she didn’t need.” Lydia shuddered at the mention of Kate. Peter felt touched that she allowed him to see it.

“Have you ever encountered someone like me? Maybe Talia knows something?” Lydia’s eyes bore right into Peter’s soul. He wanted to give her the answer she wanted, the answer that would take away the tired shadow that no amount of sleep could get rid of. Lydia Martin had lived a life of pain and Peter hated to disappoint her.

“Banshee’s are an intensely private species. The few times I’d even heard of one it was usually through someone who knew someone and so on. There’s nothing really concrete.” Peter shrugged, “Banshees also aren’t very high on any hunter lists because they don’t actually kill anyone they just predict the deaths.”

Lydia accepted this information and took her notebook back to the office so they could go over it later. She was quiet, which meant she was deep in thought. Peter left her to it and cleaned up the rest of the dinner. 

Before Lydia, Peter’s routine consisted of a before bed drink and a good book. Now, he stayed up listening to the rhythmic beat of Lydia’s heart in the room down the hall. Lydia was a beautiful girl, it was understandable that a man like Peter felt an attraction to her. However, as an Omega, she was untouchable unless he planned on making a commitment to her. Peter didn’t have any ill-conceived notions of ruining her, Lydia was too smart to allow herself to be ruined. 

He thought about her often, it couldn’t be helped when she was living with him and he spent his days deciphering her genealogy. She’d left her cranberry sweet scent on all of his furniture. His office reeked of the two of them in a way that made his head spin. Peter had caught himself breathing in the steam she left after a shower too many times for his pride. The most infuriating part was that Lydia wasn’t even doing anything particularly seductive. Just a combination of her scent and the fact that she knew how to translate Latin had Peter making a fool of himself in his own house.

Narrowing down their research to Banshee streamlined their information gathering process. Peter allowed Lydia use of his laptop since she couldn’t translate all the books they needed to work through. Once again Lydia surprised him by tracking down a bestiary from Ireland to a little pawnshop out in the boondocks. 

“Nice job, Little Omega.” Peter graced her with a genuinely impressed smile.

“I told you not to call me that,” Lydia snapped. He saw the slight blush on her cheeks and felt warm satisfaction in his chest.

“This place is only three hours out,” Peter grabbed his keys, “I’ll be back late so feed yourself and make sure to turn all the lights off before you go to sleep.” He couldn’t help but touch the tip of Lydia’s chin before he left. It was as much of a goodbye as he could allow himself.

“Uh, no. I’m going with you.” Lydia put all five foot three inches of herself in his way. Peter smirked at the effort. Then he lifted her physically out of his way and gently placed her on the couch in the living room. Lydia shrieked his name, in anger or shock he couldn’t tell, the sound delighted him though. He had a hard time pulling himself away from her.

“Nice try. If I let you get hurt Talia won’t let me hear the end of it.” Peter made it all the way to his foyer before Lydia was once again in his way.

“When has that stopped you before,” she brushed her hair out of her face, and he realizes for the first time that she’s styled it. “Without me, you wouldn’t have known where the book even was. Not to mention that this information pertains to me.” She cocked her head in a mockery of him, “Don’t you think I deserve to go?”

Peter narrowed his eyes at her, she had a point. “Talia told me to keep you hidden.”

“Please the last time I was in this town I was in middle school. And I’ve never even been that far north before so who would spot me?” Lydia's hands went to her hips. Peter recognized the move for what it was. She was losing her patience.

“Kate Argent may be a wanted woman but that means she’s still out there and you are her prime target.” Peter allowed himself to run his fingers through her hair, “You’re not a woman that’s easy to forget, Lydia.”

When he looked into her eyes he found a softness there. Slowly, she relaxed out of her defensive stance. “I’m tired of being cooped up in this house. I need to feel like I’m doing something Peter. I can’t just sit back and let other people fix my problems for me.”

“Haven’t you heard? I’m the best at fixing other people’s problems.” He kissed her forehead, in for a penny in for a pound, and ran his thumb against the back of her hand. “Trust me, Lydia. It’s better if I go on my own, at least until we’re sure that Kate isn’t coming after you.”

Lydia leans into his touch for as long as a heartbeat before she pulls away. “Kate wouldn’t be able to touch me if you’re around.” The words are a blow to the most primal part of Peter and he knows she meant them to be. Lydia truly was a remarkable woman.

He points at her, “You will listen to me and speak when I tell you to and don’t touch anything in there. We don’t want to bring pawnshop stink back into the house.” He goes for stern, but Lydia beamed triumphantly and he knew that she’d won this round.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The few car trips they’d taken together had seen Lydia either unconscious or deep in thought and usually didn’t last more than half an hour. The pawnshop was hours away with very few places to stop, especially if they wanted to get back to the apartment before it got too late. Before they left he texted Talia a summarized update of their findings and their plan to pick up the bestiary. Lydia had seemed surprised by the act.

The first hour and a half are filled with heatless bickering. Lydia complains about his music, Peter reminds her that they’re still close enough to Beacon Hills for him to drop her off at Talia’s. Once they reach an empty and endless stretch of highway Peter pushes his car past the speed limit, much to Lydia’s disapproval.This leads to an argument over whether or not Peter would have enough time to protect her if he crashed the car. Peter insisted that his superior Alpha werewolf reflexes wouldn’t let that happen. The argument ended when Lydia shifted in her seat, causing her skirt to rise up and bare a teasing slip of thigh. At the sight of the smooth, tantalizing strip of skin Peter drifts between the lanes.

That slip of thigh haunts him for the following hour. Lydia’s scent, already sweet and filling his nose despite the open window, develops a musky undertone he wants to taste. Peter curses himself for thinking this was a good idea. Unmated Alpha and an unmated Omega in a car without anything stopping them from just pulling over and going at it like animals. Lydia continues to shift in her seat, exposing her legs and casting a strong wave of her scent throughout the car.

Peter kept his hands on the wheel and his wolf in check, even when he wanted nothing more than to slide his fingers between Lydia’s thighs and...No, he had better control than that. His face didn’t even twitch, and he didn’t adjust himself in his pants because if he’d learned anything about Lydia after a week of cohabitation, was that she was more observant than a human had any right to be.

They passed a sign for a gas station and Peter almost moaned in relief. When Lydia’s scent suddenly became more pronounced, he realized that he hadn’t done nearly as good a job at masking his scent. The little Omega had her knees pressed together and her hands clasped tightly in her lap. She looked the picture of poise if not for the two, high points of colors on her lovely cheeks. She wouldn’t look at him, and honestly, that was for the best. Peter’s Alpha was so close to the surface that if she gave any indication of wanting him he’d take her right now in the backseat of the car.

The gas station they stopped out seemed heaven sent. Peter had barely enough time to get out of the car and into the restroom before he was pulling down his pants and wrapping a hand around his knot. He didn’t want to prolong what he was about to do although his body couldn’t have made it last if it tried. With the scent of sugary sweet cranberry in his nose and three quick strokes of his knot, Peter was cumming. The force of it his orgasm made him bang his head against the side of the stall.

The bliss and relief that swept over him in that moment was too intense for Peter too much but pant and try not to lose his footing. An orgasm had never made him feel weak in the knees before, yet two hours in a car with Lydia and he was a green pup coming from just the scent of her hair. With clawed fingers, Peter gingerly tucked himself back into his pants and tried to clean up as much as possible before he saw Lydia again.

The drive after that was silent. Lydia pleaded a headache so they left the radio off. He didn’t like the tension that had formed after their stop at the gas station. While pumping gas Lydia had returned from wherever she’d gone off to while Peter had been in the bathroom with her head held high and mask in place. Peter hadn’t known her long enough to get an accurate read on what this one meant. He hated the uncertainty but he wouldn’t break the silence.

They arrived at the pawn shop just as the sun set over the horizon. They didn’t linger outside for long nor did they check to see if the place was open. They got out of the car in unison. Peter went inside first to make sure nothing could hurt Lydia.The inside of the shop was dark and musty since the only windows were in the front of the shop. They were covered by a layer of grime at least a centimeter thick and bleached posters for events and lost pets. 

Glass cases housed gaudy gold and silver jewelry that Peter could smell were fake. Along one wall, very real swords and very impressive replicas glinted dully in the fluorescent light. Peter pulled Lydia closer to him when they passed a stain of something brown on the cracked white linoleum on the floor. Peter looked around the place with distaste, he shouldn’t have brought Lydia here.

“If you catch something from being here I’ll gloat over your sickbed.” Peter walked over to a stack of moldy looking books further into the store. The leather binding was cracked, and the title was half rubbed off with age. Behind him, he could hear Lydia moving around the store.

“Another weird thing about this ‘banshee’ thing is that I no longer get sick.” Lydia peered into a murky glass jar.

Peter turned to look at her, “I didn’t know that.” He hadn’t read anything in the little they managed to scrounge up about banshees either. 

“I thought I mentioned it,” Lydia mumbled distractedly. She’d managed to find a tissue in her purse and was now going through one of the moldy books.

Peter was sure she hadn’t, information like that wasn’t something he’d allow himself to forget. There was very little information out there about banshees, yet since Lydia began living with Peter he’d collected more information than the dozens of bestiaries, grimoires, and diaries they’d gone through. The most they had collected from books could fit a single page. Peter already had a notebook filled with notes about Lydia’s episodes and how she felt while experiencing them. 

This would be an amazing opportunity to gather information, people pay good money for information. Talia may tease him for not having a job, but he’s the best at what he does, and what he does keeps him comfortable. He glanced over at Lydia, she was a smart girl, she’d see the sense in using her as a way to answer the questions the books couldn’t give them.

“Alpha Hale, himself gracing my little shop.” A voice as smooth as jazz and as rich as dark chocolate purred from behind the front counter at the very back of the store. 

Peter recognized the voice and smiled when he turned to greet her. “Myra,” her name in his mouth felt like singing his favorite song.

Myra was a Beta who’d gone to BHHS with Peter. A witch from a family of witches who had been more than helpful in Peter’s quest to drive Talia up the wall. They’d gone to separate colleges and lost touch, but when he moved back to Beacon Hills he could count on the occasional static-filled phone call.

She looked good, aging like a witch and as beautiful as the sixteen-year-old he’d met all those years ago. Her eyes shone a honey gold and her dark skin was rich and warm and glowed in the shitty lighting. Her hair was different. Peter liked the dreads and thought to ask her when she’d started them when, with a whiff of sour cranberries, Lydia arrived at his side.

Myra’s eyes widened in surprise when she saw the Omega, “Is this your daughter?” 

The question was well-meaning but the worst timing. Peter had just tugged his knot to a girl an old friend thought was young enough to be his daughter. Next to him, he felt Lydia stiffen but her face didn’t lose its carefully polite mask.

“I’m Lydia Martin, and we’re here to purchase a book from your private collection,” Lydia spoke with a smile. Peter heard the tension in her voice that meant she was upset or annoyed. The scent of cranberries seemed to sour even more.

Myra raised her eyebrows in surprise, and then looked at Peter. Holding back a smirk Peter explained, “Omega Martin is a girl under my sister’s protection that I’m looking out for. Malia is much younger than her.”

Myra’s eyes softened at the mention of his daughter, she reached out and placed a hand on his arm, “And her mother? Is that still…” Peter answered her question with a tight smile and a shake of his head. Corinne was a piece of work and Malia was better off without either of them. 

Once Peter gave Myra the name of the book they’d been searching for she went, more like escaped, into the back to retrieve it. He avoided looking at Lydia, who stood next to him so tense he could feel her trembling.

“You have a daughter?” Lydia tried to sound casual, Peter still heard the tightness in her voice.

“Had a wife too.” Peter stuffed his hands in his pockets. He could feel hazel eyes boring into the side of his face.

“And they are?” Lydia prodded.

Peter debated the answer he should give. There was the lie he told most often. It went along the lines of his wife left before he knew he even had a daughter and gave her up for adoption. What his family knew was that Corine has been a power hungry werecoyote who wanted to kill their daughter and Peter. He’d tried the father thing out for a few years after before realizing that being together gave Corrinne an easier target.

Signing the adoption papers had been hard but he’d done it. He’d made sure Malia had a good home and that Corine couldn’t touch her if she wanted to. Talia had disapproved, but she disapproved of everything Peter did. 

“Away. And that’s all I’ll say about it.” Myra returned with the bestiary and a wary look in her eyes. She smiled nervously before sliding the book across the counter.

“This is what you’re looking for and you're in luck because I just got it in a few weeks ago.” Myra opened the first few pages of the book with gloved hands, “It’s entirely in Gaelic but I know that won’t be a problem for Alpha Peter.”

Myra had done a cleansing on the book before listing it but told Peter to let her know if any problems occur. He paid double the price it was listed for and gave Myra his new number. The stop had taken about forty-five minutes altogether, short enough that a three-hour drive will see them back home around midnight. When they got in the car Peter shot out of the lot in front of the pawnshop determined to beat evening traffic.

Lydia didn’t protest his speed. She didn’t protest when he took the turn onto the onramp of the freeway a little too quickly either. Peter turned on the radio and a blues stationed crooned through the static. When Peter rolled the windows down and started pushing ninety she turned to Peter with a glare and yelled, “You’re insufferable!”

The roar of the wind whipping through the car almost drowned her out. Peter was laughing too hard to answer.


	6. Chapter 6

When they got home neither of them could sleep so Lydia made some coffee and Peter cracked open the bestiary and began translating. When she returned with two mugs Peter handed her another notebook and asked her to write down everything she knew and experienced as a banshee. When her powers manifested, how close she had to be to the person dying to know it was coming. Questions he’d thought of on the drive back.

They worked in silence for hours. Around daybreak, Lydia stretched from her curled position on the couch and gathered up their mugs. “Breakfast?” she called over her shoulder.

“I’ll cook for us in a second I’m just stuck on what could either be a verb or a doodle of a sword. Either way, his vision was swimming and he had a headache from breathing in old dust and ink.

He felt more than saw Lydia pause in the doorway, “I can cook for us.” 

“I’m sure you can, Little Omega,” Peter answered distractedly. He’d finally figured out that the passage he was on was utterly useless to them. The passage held information he’d want to study at some point, so he made a note to come back to it in his free time.

So focused on his work Peter didn’t notice the storm brewing in Lydia’s eyes. His only warning was a smell he could only describe as bitter cherries and then Lydia was right across his desk and slamming the mugs down onto the wood, “Okay look. I am not a damsel in distress. I am not some naive Omega who needs saving. I didn’t come here to be pampered and bubble wrapped so the big bad world can’t get to me. You forget what I am.”

Lydia’s eyes became depthless and black. When she looked down at him Peter felt as if all the air in his lungs had been sucked out. His healing ability wouldn’t allow him to die from this, but his heart thudded painfully in his chest. Peter couldn’t be afraid or even focus on the pain when Lydia looked as otherworldly as she did in that moment. The red in her hair seemed to almost glow from her scalp. Her skin, usually warm as a peach, was now a ghostly alabaster. 

As she stared him down Peter was helpless under her power and, strangely, not bothered by it. Beyond the pain and arousal and attraction he felt towards Lydia, there was a burning curiosity. His hands itched for a notebook and pen so that he could write this very moment down before he forgot.

All at once the moment was over, and Lydia was back to normal. She looked sleep deprived and a comfy kind of beautiful in an old shirt of Laura’s and a pair of his flannel pajamas. She cocked her head to the side and smiled without showing her teeth, “You will treat me as an equal and nothing less. Is that understood?”

Peter was gasping, trying to fill his burning lungs with air before he passed out. Somehow he managed a smile. Lydia patted his cheek with one soft, warm hand, then grabbed the mugs on her way out of the office. “Egg whites okay?”

“Add another protein and some hashbrowns and you have yourself a meal,” Peter called after her retreating figure.

He could hear her scoff from the hallway, “Werewolf gene’s or not Peter you should really think about what you put into your body.”

Peter barely restrained himself from several innuendos and focused on completing enough of his work to justify a food break to the perfectionist in him. He retrieved the notebook he’d given Lydia and began flipping through the pages there. Such neat handwriting, he smiled at the script without really reading the words. He sat on the couch and luxuriated in the scent of Lydia. They spent most of their days researching with Lydia on this couch and Peter over at his desk. Her scent had almost soaked to the very fibers of the upholstery.

Peter would admit, under threat of torture, to being intoxicated by Lydia’s scent. He liked the way she smelled after waking up, the softness of the cranberry and a warm cinnamon scent. He likes how sweet she smelled when she was aroused or amused. He’d never shared his space with someone who wasn't family or pack before, so he wasn’t prepared for the damn near orgasmic smell of his scent mixed with Lydia’s.

Peter wasn’t his nephew. He won’t delude himself into pursuing anything with Lydia based off of scent alone. So far the Omega wasn’t a pain to live with but that didn’t mean he should pursue her. There was the matter of her connection to Kate and the fact that the psycho hunter could still be out there looking for her. There was also Talia who would never allow it. Usually, that’d be a point in Lydia’s favor but Peter didn’t really feel like arguing with sister over his love life, again.

Lydia made Peter sit at his dining table for breakfast. He’d bought the thing because it went well with the decor he already had in place, not because he actually wanted to eat at it. But Lydia insisted in this pleasantly threatening way so Peter decided to humor her. He didn’t know how an Omega so small could be so bossy. 

Grudgingly he sat down and waited for whatever healthy monstrosity she would force him to eat. He’d eat it alright, then he’d repay her by making Chinese food for dinner. Lydia set down several platters of food. Heaps of sausages and bacon, two stacks of pancakes, and hashbrowns, just like he’d wanted.

Lydia was still standing once Peter had finished taking in the meal before him, and he turned to her with a genuine smile on his face, “I’m impressed.” he picked up his knife and fork and began placing a little bit of everything from each platter on his plate. “If it tastes as good as it smells I might have to let you cook more often.” Peter made sure to look into Lydia’s eyes when he said, “Good job, Little Omega.”

Lydia blushed from the top of her forehead all the way to her chest. She turned a delightful shade of rose pink and Peter couldn’t help but wonder what else he could do to make her turn so red. She tried to hide it by placing a hand on her neck, but all that did was draw Peter’s eye to the long elegant slope of it. She sat across from him and helped herself to much smaller portions. They ate for several minutes in silence before Lydia broke it by clearing her throat.

“What have you learned from the bestiary.” 

Peter chewed through a mouthful of pancakes before answering, “Nothing of use to us. Several things of interest to my portfolio.”

Lydia looked intrigued, “You sell what you translate?”

“I’m an information gatherer. People pay me to know things and being able to translate dead languages ups my pay grade.” Peter couldn’t help but posture like a typical knothead.

Lydia ignored his boasting to ask, “What’s our next step if this is another dead end?”

Peter shrugged, “Find another book, hopefully, find a banshee.” Peter paused before he added, “We could also test your abilities to answer some of our questions.”

Peter knew Lydia was a smart girl, she’d see the sense in using her status as a banshee to answer all their questions. He also knows that she fears her ability, probably hates it for robbing her of her normality. The ones who grew up human were always that way. He was prepared for her to refuse, and he was prepared to drop the matter if she so wished. Peter had no desire to force Lydia to do anything if it would make her unhappy. 

“I can’t exactly control it.” Lydia couldn’t hide how upset she was about that. Peter smiled when he detected the slightly less sweet scent of her irritation. 

“I can teach you control. I’m the most controlled were’ in my family. I’m the one who teaches all the pups every other Sunday at my sister’s house.” Peter smiled at the thought of Lydia around his nieces and nephews. She was so distant when she wanted to be, he’d like to see her keep that distance in the face of his five-year-old nieces.

Lydia’s mask slipped and her expression became unreadable, “You teach the kids…” she smiled, a genuine smile that showed off her dimples.

Peter couldn’t help but smile back, “Talia and I have quite an age difference between us. She’s always been more like another parent than a sister so I often spent my time with her kids.”

“Do you really think you can teach me control?” Lydia asked.

“I do,” Peter said confidently. “And, since one of your goals is to become pack Emissary the sooner you meet the pack the better.” He’d have to talk to Talia first, and the older children, but he saw no reason for Lydia not to join him on his next training session. 

A war of emotions crossed Lydia’s face. She sat still in thought while Peter helped himself to both seconds and thirds.The food tasted better than he expected it to. He hadn’t doubted Lydia’s abilities but very few people were capable of cooking for a werewolf and as clean as she was Lydia wasn’t a domestic Omega. He’d finished his meal with Lydia still in thought, so he took it upon himself to clean up in the kitchen until she was ready to speak.

Peter washed the dishes and stored the leftovers before returning to his office. Lydia was already curled in her expected spot on the couch with Peter’s translating notebook in her lap. She looked like she belonged there, still in her sleeping clothes, dozing against the back of the couch. Her long hair had fallen into her face. Peter allowed himself one moment of weakness and brushed the hair away from her face.

Lydia didn’t stir, so deep in sleep that Peter could probably pinch her and she wouldn’t move. Her neck was bent at an uncomfortable angle against the back of the couch. If she stayed like that for too long she’d have a kink in her neck and would no doubt complain to Peter about it once she woke up. He could always pick her up and carry her to bed. It was an option that was the most chivalrous and probably the most expected. Peter felt like being selfish, so he just moved Lydia so that she lay more comfortably on the couch. He retrieved a quilted blanket from the linen closet and then draped that over Lydia, just in case she got cold.

Peter returned to his desk and opened up a brand new notebook. In it, he collected all the observations he’d gathered while living with Lydia. To back up or correct anything he’d written down, Peter used Lydia’s notebooks. Using both, he managed to create a basic outline of what they need to learn in addition to training Lydia control. Peter let himself get lost in his research with only the calming sound of Lydia’s heartbeat and the scratch of pen against paper to break the silence.


	7. Chapter 7

“How do I address them?” Lydia is fidgeting and it’s driving Peter up the wall because Lydia usually has more grace than this.

“With their names I suppose.” Peter sighed. The drive was taking longer than usual because of all the rain damage from the week before. Beacon Hills never had traffic, yet here he was stuck bumper to bumper while Lydia filled the car with her anxiety.

“If you’re not gonna be helpful why even answer?” Lydia scoffed. She crossed her arms over her chest and sat back in her seat angrily. Peter sighed and readied himself to listen to her pouting for the next several inches.

They hadn’t found anything in that Irish bestiary. A solid two weeks of translating for only a page of information about banshees. Information that they’d already found in the other six bestiaries they’d gone through. Lydia now used the thing to help her while she learned Irish Gaelic. Peter, with Lydia’s blessing, had moved on to collecting his own information of the Banshee he lived with.

Working together wasn’t a problem. Peter pushed at Lydia’ limits and Lydia reasserted them when she felt like he’d gone too far. They’d developed a routine where Lydia cooked breakfast, Peter cooked dinner, and they traded off coffee making duty. Lunch was usually made when they remembered to. Typically ordered in from the three takeout places Lydia would eat at. At night they usually talked about what they’d found or were working on for the day before parting ways to go to bed. It was a kind of domesticity that Peter had never seen for himself but now loved every minute of.

Talia had been suspicious of the lack of conflict between them and had requested their presence immediately. Peter had been meaning to take Lydia back over there to train with his nieces and nephews, but they’d become so busy in their search for answers that they’ve hardly left the house. Ever since Talia’s call Lydia’s been an anxious annoyance over what to wear and how to look to meet his family. Peter hadn’t the heart to tell her that his family wouldn’t care either way. Although during one tortuously long shopping session Peter had considered saying the words if it got him out of the beauty store faster.

Now they were stuck in a car together in traffic, the scent of overripe cranberries made his nose itch and he had the beginnings of a headache forming. Peter Hale was not in a good mood, he needed to get away from Lydia fast before he did something drastic. 

A bit of space in the lane next to them opened up. Peter gunned the car into the spot before anyone behind him could get the same idea. They were now two lanes from a corner he could turn down to get away from traffic.

“Tell me again how many people live in the house,” Lydia started, “I can almost remember all of the names. I’m sure if I go over it one more time I’ll have it memorized.”

“You don’t have to memorize anything, Little Omega.” Peter glared at the driver in the next lane. “My sisters are sure to have another kid in a year or less so that’s just another name to remember. Plus Laura’s almost getting to the age Talia was when she had her, so,” Peter was trying to communicate with the driver keeping him from switching lanes that if he didn’t let Peter through he’d have to rip his arms off.

“That doesn’t mean I should be rude Peter.” Lydia ignored his nickname but he could smell her scent become calmer almost immediately.

“Why not, I always am.” With a maneuver Peter wouldn’t usually try with other people in the car, he managed to bully his way into the next lane. 

“Sorry I want to think of others.” Lydia drawled sarcastically.

Peter smirked, “Apology accepted.” that earned him a glare and a punch to the bicep.

“This is serious Peter. I have to make a good impression on your pack if I want them to accept me.” Lydia smoothed the fabric of her skirt, the same skirt she’d ironed that morning, and checked her makeup in the mirror.

Peter had learned that the Lydia he met the first week was just a facet of who Lydia actually was. She was highly intelligent and observant, but also ambitious and calculating. In his apartment, he could usually expect to find Lydia in comfortable clothes, a book in hand and a look of concentration on her beautiful face. Out here, the armor of Lydia Martin was artfully applied and hardened until all you could see was the perfect hair, makeup, and clothes. She walked as gracefully in heels as she did barefoot on the hardwood floors of his apartment.

Her scent was enough to make him feel like more wolf than man but this, her, was becoming unbearable. He woke up hard as diamonds every morning, the scent of Lydia so heavy in the air because she’d been in his space for almost a month. Their scents were so entwined in his office he’d had to take more than one research break to ease the tightness in his jeans. He wore jeans around the house because he couldn’t trust himself not to get hard right in front of Lydia. Peter had never experienced a loss of control like this. He cursed his sister for thinking he could handle living with an Omega.

“Look, the younger kids are easy. Talk to them, humor them, play with them, and their yours. Laura, Derek, and Cora are my sisters older three children. Cora’s about your age I think. Don’t worry too much about them. My nephews are twelve and they will ignore you until there's a possibility of them getting money for video games so they’re easy.” Peter talked Lydia through how to handle his family from the children to his parents to the Hales by Marriage, as he called his in-laws.

He kept his eyes on the road as he talked but he could feel Lydia staring at him as he talked. She didn’t interrupt him, and he knew she was listening, but he could tell that all her focus was on him. Peter hated how deeply the notion that he had her full attention pleased him. 

“How many children are there?” Lydia asked once he’d gone through the general basic interactions she could expect with his family.

“Well, Talia has four, Laura, Derek, Cora, and Jason. My sister Anna has four, the twin boys, Evan and Eli and twin girl's, Charlotte and Claire.” Peter counted off one by one in his head, “And then there’s Kira and Erica, two girls we took in when their pack was killed a few years back.” Peter had found the two girl's himself, but it was Talia who’d fought to add them to the family. The pack had been young, and their parents had died before Peter and Talia could get involved. The thought of those two girl's, a kitsune and a bitten wolf with no Alpha, being put into the system without any guidance was unbearable to his sister.

“Talia took them in?” Lydia asked softly, knowingly.

“My sister has a weakness for the distressed and orphaned.” Peter tried to make it sound biting, but he didn’t think he succeeded. For all her flaws his sister really did have a good heart, she was a good Alpha.

Peter took the side streets to his sister's house. They arrived an hour late but Lydia’s scent had lost its anxious bitterness. She was the picture of poise and confidence as she gracefully exited his car and made her way up the stone path to the front porch. It was quite different from the first time she’d been here. Peter had to fight off a smirk as he dutifully walked behind her. Looking at her, you wouldn’t think she had anything to think about except what shoes she wanted to buy next and how to pair her lipstick to her nail polish. The knowledge that Lydia was one of the most intelligent people he’d ever met sent an almost perverse smug thrill through Peter’s body.

 

The house was slightly better looking when he entered, the only sign that the family was expecting company. When they entered the foyer the house sounded completely deserted. Peter could hear them in the backyard playing a loose game of baseball so he directed Lydia through the kitchen and into the backyard. The sun was facing the back of the house, leaving the Hale backyard awash in sunlight as the fourteen or so family members played what barely counted as baseball. A baseball was present, as well as a baseball bat, but there was only one base present and several members of the family missing from the tree fenced space the Hale used as a backyard.

Peter leaned over her shoulder to whisper in Lydia’s ear, “It’s not much fun if the bases are too close together.” He pointed deeper in the trees. She wouldn’t be able to see, but he could hear his nephew on second base, “Derek’s over there on second base. He has a new boyfriend he doesn’t think we know about so he’s texting and not paying attention.”

Placing one hand on her other shoulder Peter steered her gently towards second base, “Cora’s over there, “ he shifted her again, this time with one hand on her shoulder and the other on her waist. Instead of pointed he nodded his head, “And there’s James at third. He’ll be your biggest ally when it comes to Talia so stay on his good side.”

This was the closest they’d been to each other, ever. It was more touching than either had ever initiated too. Peter wouldn’t give up his space behind her for the world. She wasn’t tense in his touch, but he could feel her trembling and swaying back into his chest. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and press her close, just feel her in his arms. Peter had more control than that, so he pulled himself away and walked off the back porch to join his family on the grass.

His family was considerate enough to pretend that they hadn’t heard his interaction on the porch when they broke formation to greet him. From a lawn chair not too far off his parents waved at him. They sat under an umbrella, a book and ice tea each, but didn’t move from their spots to greet him, or Lydia. His nieces and nephews rushed him the second they caught sight. Eight bodies slammed into him from all directions. Peter laughed and fought off each child, preteen, and adult that tried to topple him to the floor. It was a game he’d played with each of them when he was working on their control and defensive combat. 

He heard Lydia giggling from the porch so he put on a show for her. The werewolf kids were more durable, so when Peter could get a grip on Cora or Eli he’d swing them out from his body and the pack of kids on top of him. He could trust them to be smart enough to land safely, or dumb enough to learn a lesson when playing with him. For the less durable kids, Charlotte and Claire, he tossed them into the air to be caught by one of the other werewolves. It made him look like a carnival creature, juggling two giggling five-year-olds while waddling around with two kids weighing his legs down and another two climbing on his back.

From the porch, Lydia was nearly in tears from laughing. Peter wanted to go back to her, to see her and hold her as she fell apart in his arms. So, he let his nieces and nephews win and gracefully accepted defeat. His sisters and Lydia all applauded his performance while the rest of the adults corralled the children back into their spots to continue the game.

“Uncle Peter’s here for training so we need to wrap this game up okay?” James called from far left field. 

With the munchkins off of him, Peter was free to stand up and dust himself off. Lydia approached with her hands stuffed in her winter coat and her cheeks red from laughter, “That was…” she couldn’t stop smiling as she spoke. 

Peter smiled back and raised an eyebrow, “Impressive?”

“Childish.” Lydia corrected. She giggled and took one hand out of her pocket to place a light touch to Peter’s stretched out neckline, “You’re supposed to be the adult.” 

Peter shrugged, “That’s the life of a werewolf, constantly replacing torn clothes.” Peter tried unsuccessfully to see the stretched neckline. Lydia laughed at his attempt.

“Believe me when I say that shirt is unsalvageable.” Lydia's eyes lingered around his neck. Peter watched as her eyes traveled lower to the bit of chest exposed by the stretched out neckline. He knew she was attracted to him, he’d smelled her arousal during the car trip and she hadn’t stopped him from any of the advances he’d made at her. That could mean nothing, or it could mean another useful ally and bed partner. If he was lucky.

“Peter, Alpha Alice is here to go over the documents from our last meeting,” Talia called from the pitcher's mound. 

Peter turned around to glare at his sister. “Why didn’t you tell me she was coming? How would I have known to bring any of my work for her to see if I didn’t know she was coming.”

Talia gave him a look, “Are you telling me you don’t have it with you?”

Peter took a deep breath and restrained from murdering his Alpha by focusing on the smell of Lydia’s scent and the feeling of pack surrounding him. He did have the work he’s done for Alpha Alice, but that didn’t mean he knew he should have brought it. Peter knew that Talia did that sometimes, tested him to see whether or not he was still at the top of his game. She’d been testing him all his life and whether he passed or not it never seemed to end.

Alpha Alice let herself into the backyard through the gate on the side of the house. Her blonde hair had been curled, a lot different from the quick ponytail he’d seen it in last. She was wearing makeup as well, and her glasses were missing. Cornflower blue eyes twinkled as she approached and greeted the family.

Behind to him, Lydia stiffened. Outwardly she looked no different than the confident Omega she’d walking into the house as. But as Alpha Alice approached Lydia’s mask looked ready to crack.

“Peter! It’s so good to see you!” Alpha Alice greeted them with a big smile on her face and pink in her pale cheeks. “Last time I came to visit Talia said you were out of town.” she looked genuinely upset by that fact. Her smile even dimmed for a second.

Peter nodded respectfully at the Alpha, “I was, sadly. There was a book I needed to continue a project I’m working on and I had to leave on short notice.” Alpha Alice nodded at him every word, and when he stopped talking she beamed.

“Well you’re here now and I managed to catch you so it’s all good.” Her face turned red and her eyes widened, “I mean I managed to come over at the same time you did, not that I caught you.” One of her hands came up to brush her hair.

Peter smiled at the nervous tick. “Ally,” He grabbed the hand that was messing with the once well-styled curls, “You’re fine. I have the rest of what you needed back in my car. I’ll retrieve it.” 

Predictably, Alice melted. She nodded sweetly at Peter before walking over to greet the rest of the family. Peter sighed, he loved his sister, he reminded himself. He respects his Alpha.

 

“Who is she?” Lydia hissed in his ear. For some reason, she had followed him back to the car. Peter hadn’t really minded but he would have preferred a little space to get his annoyance at Talia out of his scent.

“Who, Alice? Just an Alpha from one county over. Our families have had treaties together for decades. Sometimes I translate and transcribe old grimoires from her family library.” Peter grabbed his briefcase from the backseat of his car. Lydia stood right behind him, her scent was sour and her voice was clipped in a way that let him know she was upset.

“Is she your wife?” Lydia threw the accusation at him like a dagger. 

Peter wanted to flinch at that word, ‘wife’. He had never wanted one, but Corinne got pregnant and his family was traditional. He was young enough then to still want to please his parents, to please Talia. That of course had backfired. Now Lydia was throwing her in his face because of what? Was she jealous?

Peter rounded on her, not bothering to hide his anger and said, “You better think carefully about your next course of action.”

Lydia’s heartbeat sped up, but her face became a mask of indignance, “Why won’t you tell me about her. Or your daughter?”

“Why do you want to know? Why would I tell you of all people.” Peter spat back at her. 

His words shocked her enough for her face to lose its anger and hardness. All that was left was the shine of wet eyes. Her mouth opened like she was prepared to answer, but then she paused. Peter didn’t want to get into a whole thing outside of a house filled with werewolves, Lydia didn’t seem inclined to continue talking anyway.

Lydia still hadn’t responded when they walked back to the house. Alpha Alice would be waiting for him in the study, so he turned back to Lydia and said, “Go ahead outside and mingle with the animals. I’ll give Alpha Alice her work and join you in a second.”

 

Lydia stared at him for a long moment, her face unreadable and her eyes dry. Then she nodded and turned with a flick of her red hair. Peter watched her until she was out of his sight in the kitchen, and then he listened to her go out the back door and join his family in the yard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So so sooooo, sorry about the update delay. Thanks to school and job hunting I've been to busy to sit down and get anything done. This chapter hasn't been edited so all mistakes are my own.


	8. Chapter 8

His work with Alice took very little time, and he was seeing her out the door only thirty minutes after she’d arrived. There were vague plans to meet up for dinner while she was still in town, but Peter was already thinking about Lydia as he said his goodbyes to a childhood friend.

He found Lydia in the backyard with his family, standing in a half-formed circle with Laura, Cora, Kira, and Erica. Peter thought to be worried about the five of them together but figured it was best if he and Lydia got some distance from each other for a few hours. They’ve spent almost every waking moment together for the last month some distance would be healthy. Even as he thought this Peter still wanted to run over and stand next to her.

Peter had just made up his mind to go stand over by his parents when Anna walked over to him with one of the twins on her hip. He could never tell the difference between Charlotte and Claire by scent, but Charlotte’s hair was just bit curlier than Claire’s. Anna kissed her daughter on the cheek before setting her down and shooing her to go play with the rest of the kids. There was a pile of Hale kids that looked like a mix of Derek, Eli, and Erik, Anna’s husband. Charlotte, or Claire, was sitting on Talia’s shoulders laughing at the guys.

“So,” Anna sang. She wagged her eyebrows and nudged him playfully, “Alice looked nice today.”

Peter snorted, “Alice looks nice every day.” 

Anna nodded in agreement, and then her smile turned knowing, “Do you think you’ll see her again before she heads back home?”

Peter sighed. He knew that his family had been gunning for something to happen between him and Alice since they were kids. The both of them presenting as Alpha’s didn’t change their mind either. It’s not like as Second Peter needed to have kids anyway. Alice was pretty and all but he’d always seen her as another sister. Not to mention she was boring and kindhearted and entirely guileless. A woman like that wouldn’t survive a week with him.

Anna mocked his sigh, “How long are you gonna make her wait. You’re not getting any younger.”

Peter placed a hand over his heart, “Ouch,” he pouted at his sister, “I have feelings you know.”

Anna wrapped her arms around Peter, forcing him into a hug, “I know, which is why I want you to ask Alice out.”

Peter rolled his eyes, “Not this again. Look Anna after-”

“‘After Corinne’ isn’t an excuse anymore Peter. It’s been eight years. I didn’t want to say anything but Talia’s been talking to dad about training Derek to be the next Second.” Anna’s eyes held nothing but love and worry for her big brother. Peter tried to avoid her gaze but he couldn’t ignore their bond.

He snorted at the idea of Derek as his replacement, “Derek? I love my nephew but he couldn’t do half of what I do for this pack.” Peter glanced over to where his nephew was now chasing the twins, Eli and Evan, into the woods at the back of the house. Evan had Derek’s phone and was tossing it back and forth to Eli.

“Give it back!” Derek growled.

“‘Oh Stiles no one gets me like you do!’” Evan taunted over his shoulder.“

”Dude, I feel the same way.’” Eli could barely get the words out he was giggling so hard. 

The three of them crashed into the undergrowth, leaving the rest of the family to stare at them in amusement. Peter turned back to Anna and raised his eyebrows, “Talia wants Derek to be the next Second?”

Anna was trying her best not to laugh at the expense of their nephew. Peter heard every choked off a giggle. When she looked up at him she tried to remain serious but she was too focused on fighting off laughter.

“Why not come back when you can answer,” Peter suggested. Anna nodded gratefully and walked off now shaking from trying to hold in her laughter.

Derek and the twins returned with torn or missing clothes and healing bruises. Peter guessed that the Twins won this round if the way Derek is squeezing his shattered cell phone is any indication. His parents went into the house, and his sisters and their husbands followed them. Charlotte and Claire played tea party together on a blanket a ways away from the unofficial training area, where they can watch and be watched without being a distraction or too close to the training. 

Familiar with the routine all the Hale kids gathered in a long line. Laura, Derek, and Cora were advanced enough in his teachings to be left unsupervised. The Twins, however, were a mess. Kira and Erica had control over their shifts, but no control over their emotions which caused them a lot of trouble at school. Peter was aware of the strengths and flaws of his nieces and nephews, and he happily exploited all of them while training them.

For a warm-up, he paired up Laura and Erica, Kira and Cora, and Derek with both of the twins. Laura had an issue of holding back, which Erica has never suffered from. Erica does have an issue with maintaining control. Peter is proud to say that of the pups he’s taught, Laura has always been his star student in that respect. Kira gets too excited and her foxfire takes control of her, that’s why he paired her with Cora. She had an impeccable amount of patience and control matched only by her father James. Cora’s issue was with controlling her shift. Like all born were’s she had the ability to fully shift into her wolf form, the only problem was shifting back without Talia’s help.

Peter paired Derek up with twins because he liked to watch them go at each other like cats and dogs. He said he was a good teacher, not a good person.

Lydia watched the warm up from the sidelines. Peter walked over to her with his eyes on his students. When he reached her, they didn’t acknowledge each other, but Peter felt Lydia shift closer to him. He wanted to wrap an arm around her, she was probably cold the weather had been on the colder side lately and Omega’s got cold so easily. However he could still smell her irritation at him from their earlier conversation, so he contented himself with standing as close as was respectable and breathing in Lydia’s cranberry scent mixed with the woodsy scent of the Preserve and pack.

Peter let the warm-up run on until he could see frustration making the young wolves irritated and sloppy. The Twins, in particular, were snarling at Derek, who had Evan locked in a headlock and Eli clawing at his back. Erica was half shifted and growling with every strike she shot at Laura, who calmly dodged without fighting back. 

“Enough!” Peter barked. He didn’t have to use his Alpha voice to have all the teenagers standing at attention. “I want a perimeter run, timed. Erica and Derek, you’re together, Laura and Cora you’re together, and Kira you hang back with the twins.” With a wave, he dismissed the wolves and continued on with his lesson plan for Kira and the twins.

Peter worked with the twins on their shift, making them shift back and forth until they stopped complaining about the pain and focused on control. For Kira he had her go through control drills he’d made up just for her. As the only kitsune in the house, her abilities were notably different from the werewolves he’s trained before. He’d worked her up to controlling her foxfire with ease, now he was trying to see the limits of her ability.

The first hour of training passed with Peter barking orders and the teenage werewolves following them with minimal groaning. By the second hour, Erica was probably plotting his murder, a panting Kira was drained after so much power usage, and the twins were laying in the grass waiting for their bones to stop shifting. Peter worked all of them hard through the third hour so that by the end of the training session they were quiet from exhaustion and too sore to do more than glare at Peter and go inside to wash up for lunch.

“Is every training session like that or were you showing off for my benefit?” Lydia had been silent for much of the training. Once everyone had gone inside she stayed behind with Peter. He wanted to do a ward check before they left, together they began circling the house.  
“They’re all young and cocky and stupid. If I don’t work them to exhaustion they’ll never learn and they’ll never be able to protect the pack when the time comes.” Peter led Lydia towards the front of the house.

“I thought things were peaceful in your territory?” Lydia pointed at the rune he’d just checked, “It’s scratched you should redraw it.”

Peter pulled a marker from his pocket, “Things are peaceful, but then again things were peaceful while Kate was terrorizing you and your preteen gang of misfits.” After checking to make sure the ward was strong Peter moved them along.

“It’s not about preparing for battle, it’s about the safety of the pack. Erica has hardly any control, not unexpected in a bitten were, but that poses a danger to the rest of the pack. Kira as a kitsune is a boon and a burden for us. She’s powerful but untrained, disciplined but naive. Training will fix that.” Peter checked the ward at the end of the drive up to the house. 

“And pack bonding has nothing to do with it?” 

Peter shrugged, “We’re a family as well as a pack. We bond over dinner, my sister sometimes has movie nights when the kids are on break from school. Living together has certain benefits towards pack harmony.”

“But you don’t live here, does that mean you’re still a part of the pack?” Lydia’s question stopped Peter in his tracks. He turned back to her and looked her in the eye when he answered.

“Moving out was the best thing I’d ever done for this pack.” Peter then turned and walked back up the long driveway to the house.

 

When they entered the house Peter directed Lydia to a bathroom so she could wash up for lunch and then to the kitchen. The kitchen was a chaos of James and Anna serving lunch and the family talking over each other as they ate. It was the first time Lydia saw the whole pack in one room at once. He could smell her anxiety, but she looked the picture of poise as she entered the kitchen and received her plate from James. When looking for a place to sit the scent of anxiety became more pungent.

The room was loud with laughter and conversation, almost every seat in the room was taken. At the counter, Cora, Kira, and Erica were deep in conversation about something on Erica’s phone. The breakfast nook in the corner was occupied by the twins and his parents. Charlotte and Claire sat on Erik’s lap and ate from his plate while he argued with James about a game Peter hadn’t seen and didn’t care about. When a seat wasn’t open someone had to stand at a counter or on a clear corner of the table. The room was large but it still felt crowded, and in the center of it all Lydia stood trying and mostly succeeding to look like she belonged there.

Once James gave Peter a plate piled high with food he made room between Talia and Derek for Lydia and then squeezed himself between Lydia and Derek. When his nephew tried to protest Peter bit into his sandwich and gave him a sandwich filled grin. Lydia’s scent lost it’s bitterness once she got wrapped up in a conversation about her life outside of Beacon Hills with Cora. She settled into lunch with the pack like she’d been doing it her whole life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter was not edited.


	9. Chapter 9

After that first Sunday Lydia began accompanying Peter to the Hale house more often. First just to the Sunday training sessions, then to family dinner Talia always guilts him into attending, and then it just became a habit. He’d go over there to talk to Talia about Pack stuff and Lydia would tag along. He’d usually find her talking with Laura or Kira, if they were busy then she’d spend time in the kitchen with Anna and James. 

It took some adjustment to get used to walking around his childhood home and seeing Lydia among the many faces of his family. Without realizing it Peter had kind of put Lydia in a box, a box that included his apartment and her intoxicating scent. His perception of Lydia was a genius girl who was not a morning person by any sense of the word but woke up early anyway. She wore her hair in a bun to keep it off her neck, she liked pop music but enjoyed listening to the classics. The Lydia he saw with his family was just different enough to make him double take when he walked into a room and found her forearms deep into pie crust dough and laughing with his little sister.

The best way to describe what happened over a period of two weeks was that Lydia managed to make herself apart of pack life without anyone noticing. Except for Peter of course. He saw every calculated move she made. Lydia had told him herself, she wanted to join their pack. What better way to ease your entry into a group than to become close to the members of said group. Peter found the whole practice harmless and amusing. Never let it be said that Lydia doesn’t get what she wants.

It’s not a problem for Peter until he walks into the kitchen after a particularly frustrating conversation with Talia about his marital status. She’s insisting on throwing Alice at him, again, and nothing Peter says will stop her from inviting the other Alpha to the next family dinner. Peter had threatened not to attend, only for Talia to start asking leading questions about how well he’s getting on with Lydia. Peter knew that would lead to a conversation he didn’t want to have so he’d stormed out on the basis of looking for a snack.

Lydia’s in the kitchen with his sister talking while Charlotte and Claire made rice krispie treats for the family. Peter hears them before he’s even entered the kitchen and he can’t help but relax at the sound of Anna and Lydia getting along so well. What he’s not prepared for is the sight of Lydia with Charlotte on her lap. They’re pressing a batch of the rice krispie treats into a pan together. Across the kitchen, near the oven, Anna and Claire are using cookie cutters to cut already prepared treats into various animal shapes.

When they’d come over Lydia had a full face of makeup and her hair carefully braided into a crown. He’d come to see makeup for what it was after living with Lydia for almost two months, armor. She never left the house without it. The Lydia Peter knew was usually barefaced, the makeup painted her into a different person. Probably the effect she’d been going for. Now though, she just looked soft and warm. Lydia was the picture of domesticity and every Alpha’s dream with a pup in her lap and color in her cheeks from laughter. 

Aside from Malia, Peter had never thought of himself within the context of a father. As he stood in the doorway to the kitchen Peter felt like he’d been transported into another world. One where he’d married Lydia and he still had Malia. In this world, Malia was as young as she was when he’d given her up, not the teenager she certainly was at this point. Peter pictured Lydia pregnant, glowing and heavy with his child. The vision made his chest ache, and his scent sour. Anna and Lydia looked at him in surprise when the bitterness of his scent reached them further into the room.

“Peter? You okay.” Anna looked at him with concern. His eyes were still on Lydia, Charlotte smiles at him from her lap. Her mouth is sticky and shiny from the marshmallows. 

It takes some effort but Peter manages to come back to the present and look at anything other than Lydia, “Talia’s throwing Alice at me again.”

Anna laughs, “Give her a chance Peter. The woman has only been in love with you since y'all were in diapers.” She waves her hand in front of her nose to dissipate the lingering sour smell of Peter’s scent. As a Beta and a human, her sense of smell wasn’t as acute as an Omega or an Alpha, but she was familiar enough with his scent to notice when it shifted.

“So I go on a date with her and then what? Talia will want me to bring her to the house, then it’s like I have to propose since she’s met the family. I give an inch she’ll take a mile.” Peter helped himself to the containers of rice krispie treats they’d already made. He bit into the head of a dinosaur shaped treat with more aggression than he needed to.

“Why does Talia care who Peter ends up with?” Lydia spoke up from behind him. There was nothing but curiosity in her voice. Peter still smelled the slight souring of her scent. 

Anna knew how much Peter hated talking about Corinne so instead of answering Lydia she turned to Claire with a bright smile, “Why don’t you go call everyone in for a snack?” she set the five-year-old on the floor, “Charlie go with your sister.” Charlotte scrambled from Lydia’s lap and then they were alone.

Anna looked at Peter who was focused on sneaking another rice krispie treat out of the container, “Talia’s just protective. She wants what’s best for us and Peter’s been on his own for a long time. She worries,” Anna smiled weakly, “The last time Peter was in a relationship was almost eight years ago.”

Peter rolled his eyes, “As Second my job is to protect the pack. I don’t have time to waste on dates lasting longer than a few hours.”

Anna pretended to gag, “Exactly what I wanted to hear from my brother about his sex life.” Peter pulled on her ponytail, the way he would when they were kids, and she sucker punched him in the shoulder. 

Lydia watched the two siblings silently, “Peter dates? I’ve been living with him for almost two months and -”

“Living with is a very heavy term don’t you think. I think squatting is more appropriate.” He couldn’t have her blabbing her big mouth to Anna about his love life. Anna worried about him too, unlike Talia she was satisfied with the knowledge that he wasn’t totally alone even if he never remarried.

What started as a joke to keep people from asking about his ex-wife had turned into an eight-year lie about Peter running through every available woman in Beacon Hills. The truth was he hadn’t slept with anyone since that first, sloppy tumble with a woman he can’t even remember after the finalization of Malia’s adoption. He’d been pretty ashamed of that. He told himself he’d start dating again once he’d moved out of the house he’d planned to raise his daughter in. Then he’d promised Anna he’d start dating once he’d been in his apartment for a year. That year had come and gone seven years ago. 

“Please,” Lydia drawled, “I am a delightful guest. You’re lucky to have me.”

Peter cocked an eyebrow, “Sure, and the hairball I pulled out of the drain last Sunday?”

Lydia’s cheeks pinked, “I want to change the subject now.”

Peter smirked, “That’s funny because I don’t.”

Lydia glared at him, Peter stared back. They often got into this staring matches when Lydia wanted to get her way in something. Peter generally didn’t care what she did, unless it inconvenienced him in any way. These confrontations didn’t happen often, but they never ended well.

They held each other’s gaze until Peter could practically taste the sweet sugary scent of Lydia’s arousal. Her cheeks were still flushed red from her embarrassment earlier. She shifted in her seat, a tell Peter had come to realize was Lydia’s attempt at disorienting him. It had worked once before, on that car trip. Now that Peter knew what to look for he was better prepared to ignore it. He let his gaze dip to the front of her blouse, the lacing around the top drew attention to her collarbones, he could see that her chest was flush too.

Movement at the corner of his eye reminded him of his younger sisters presence. He could hear his nephews tearing through the house to get to the kitchen and the rice krispie treats. While the younger kids had noses too juvenile to smell or understand the scent of Omega arousal, he knew that Derek and Laura would recognize the scent automatically. If Talia were to come in and smell Lydia, who smelled as sweet as an Omega in heat, who knows what she’d think? She’d surely blame Peter, but for what?

“Well this has been lovely but I’m gonna head home before it’s too late.” Peter kisses his sister on the cheek before grabbing his coat off the coat rack and leaving through the back door. He’s almost to his car when Lydia, with her in her arms and a scowl on her face finally catches up with him.

“I don’t know if you forgot but you’re kind of my ride.” Lydia jogs to keep up and then waits impatiently for Peter to open the door for her. He opens the door for her and she steps in with a lingering glare at him. Normally he’d poke fun at her attitude, Lydia was especially beautiful when she was annoyed or angry. His mind was preoccupied with other things, like how to get Talia off his back about remarrying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is unedited. all mistakes are my own.


	10. Chapter 10

Peter had two weeks until the dinner with Alice happened. Not attending the dinner would be a slap in the face to not only Talia but Alice and her pack too. Annoying Talia is one thing, but disrespecting Alice, who was innocent in all this, would cause problems that could threaten pack relations. Then there was the Lydia issue. Talia hadn’t been too far off the mark when she probed him about his feelings for the Omega. He liked her company and was addicted to her scent. It was a recipe for disaster and he was determined to put a stop to it.

First, he had to solve Lydia’s problem. Peter had gotten so caught up in Banshee research that he’d forgotten his original goal to make sure Kate Argent wouldn’t show up to finish what she’d started. Kate’s trail ran cold at the border to Mexico but picked up again in France. Then that was it. She didn’t spend any money, as far as Peter could tell looking at her bank statements, and she didn’t contact any of the Argent’s Peter already had an eye on. There was always the chance she was getting help from some other Hunter, but his sources had told him that the order had been reformed by Chris Argent and Kate had been ousted.

Peter even looked into fires, Kate’s trademark, but there was nothing. Peter had to call in a favor he’d hoped to save for a rainy day just to get the information that led to a dead end. Kate Argent had dropped off the face of the earth. On the bright side, that meant she was too busy being on the run to attack Lydia again. But that didn’t satisfy his curiosity. Something happened to Kate Argent, a woman that evil can’t be reformed. There should be more information, Hunter or not Kate couldn’t hide from Peter for long.

His Kate research took him away from his Banshee research and Peter expected Lydia to complain about the derailment. But the Omega had been holed up in her room since last Sunday. He knew she was alive by the dishes she left in the sink and the sound of her heartbeat through the wall. It wasn’t the same as being near her. He contented himself with the lingering scent of cranberries still soaked into the fabric of his couch. 

For a week Lydia is a ghost in his house. It’s like they’re playing a maddening game of cat and mouse. Peter, like some knot-headed Alpha, can’t help but follow Lydia’s scent around the house. It gets to the point that Peter’s outside her door, sniffing at the space between the floor and the door like an abandoned pup. Once he realizes what he’s doing, he snaps out of it and forces himself to go back to his office. He works on the Argent case with renewed vigor. Only work can take his mind off the sweet-smelling Omega he can scent but can’t see.

Using work as a distraction for Lydia gets him through his Kate Argent research, through translating more banshee text, and then through a shelf of books, he’s already read. He’d leave his house but the idea made his wolf recoil. The world outside his front door felt treacherous. The idea of leaving Lydia, who still hadn’t left her room, made his hackles rise. His body was out of his control with his instincts so haywire, and he couldn’t figure out what’s setting him off. Soon enough Peter becomes so tense and anxious his claws won’t retract.

By the end of the week Peter is so keyed up he’s in a perpetual half shift. None of his usual techniques for control work and he feels out of control enough to attack the first person he sees. Before Lydia, he’d have no problem shifting and taking off into the woods. Before Lydia, he had complete control over his instincts. He can’t let her see him like this, not when he didn’t know if he’d try to kill her or mount her, right there in the living room. The only remedy is a to go for a run. 

He writes a note for Lydia to find if she leaves her room while he’s gone. His penmanship suffers from clawed fingers and shaking hands. Peter soothes himself with the reminder of where he’s going, of what he’s doing and why. He’s so close to release it would be bad if he lost control now. 

Once outside Peter runs down the road in front of his apartment until the sidewalk gives way to a dirt path and he’s surrounded by trees on both sides. He runs until the town is just a hum at the back of his senses and then he shifts. With a sigh of relief and cracking bones, Peter settles into his wolf form seamlessly. The anxious knot of his human mind is soothed by the more streamlined, instinct-driven thoughts of his wolf.

His legs itch to run so he takes off as fast as he can into the low brush of the forest. The sun was low in the sky so he ran away from it, losing himself deeper into the thick of the trees and greenery. When he caught a scent of prey, something gamey and small, he changes direction. He chases for the feeling of pushing his body harder and harder, to feel the air whipping past his face and his feet almost floating above the loam and leaves.

 

The sun sinks low in the sky and the moon becomes the only light in the forest. He’s chased every small creature he could find and now he was resting. In this form, Peter could feel his pack bonds like a second heartbeat. A whine slipped out his muzzle involuntary but there was no one else there to hear it. Running alone wasn’t as fun as running with a pack. The young ones couldn’t shift all the way yet, but they tagged along in their Beta shift anyway. Running through the forest with Talia nipping at his heels and Anna barefooted and grinning was so ingrained in his memory it was like watching a movie.

He imagined Lydia with his pack on the night of some distant full moon. Her skin and hair would glow in the moonlight. Peter knew how she felt about mud so he imagined she’d sit on his family’s back porch with the humans. Anna would give her cider and tell her embarrassing stories about their childhood. In reality, Peter was always the first one out into the forest, but in his dream, he’d stay behind by Lydia. Fully shifted he’d put his head in her lap. 

He couldn’t get the idea of her pregnant out of his mind. Unlike his daydream in the kitchen, Lydia wouldn’t be heavy with his child, instead, it was a barely-there bump. All the more precious because of its newness, it’s fragility. Lydia’s fingers would be buried in his fur, and his nose pressed against the swell of their child. It was something he’d never allowed himself to want with anyone else. Something he’d never wanted with Corinne, as much as he’d liked her in the beginning. 

Corinne’s pregnancy with Malia had been filled with tension. They were young, newly married and all wrong for one another. Corinne went from being pack less to moving into his family’s house within the same hour. One joyless backyard wedding later they were now a respectable married couple and trying to make a relationship work. The house wasn’t as full as it was now, but Peter would never call empty. At the time it was just Talia, James and a very young Laura, Derek, and Cora. Anna was living abroad with Erik and never got to meet the woman. Peter wouldn’t admit how happy he was about that fact.

Although rare, it wasn’t impossible for an Alpha to impregnate a Beta. They're not as fertile as Omega’s, but that’s all biology, They can still get pregnant if you’re stupid enough. If you’re Peter. Corinne struggled through the pregnancy, her strength sapped almost in half for the baby and she was restricted from shifting. Corinne had always been more coyote than human, it was what had attracted him to her. Not being able to shift made her go a little crazy. Fast-forward to Malia’s birth and Corinne wanted nothing to do with her. She’d been born premature and tiny. The doctor waved off his concern as postpartum depression. When Corinne ran off for a year that was postpartum depression too. When she came back to kill them, that was just his wife.

Peter hated thinking of her. He hated thinking of both of them. The daughter he never raised and the wife he never wanted. Thoughts of Lydia made him aware of the dawn. Around him, the sounds of the forest returned and the sky turned into a bruise in shades of blue. When he rose to his feet Peter shook out his fur and started on the long trek back to his apartment.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is a short one guys sorry. all mistakes are my own.

Peter returns to his apartment barefoot and dirty but his mind is clear and his wolf is content. He’s too tired to fight the part of him that worries about Lydia. The part of him that worries about if she's eating enough or cold. It's too much effort to deny his feelings and it's not like Peter had ever been a man who denied himself of anything. Like taking deep breaths when he comes home to find Lydia's has scent saturated the apartment. It's a heady sensation to come home to her. To open the door and not only smell her but sense her presence. When Peter steps foot in his home after the run he takes a moment to just soak in the moment. It's unlike anything he's every felt before. He’s still wolf enough to follow the heady, tantalizing scent of her coming from his office. Without even noticing he focuses on the steady, sweet sound of her heartbeat coming from his as he sits curled up on what he’s come to think of as her couch.

When he enters the room she doesn’t look up from her reading but he hears the rate of her heartbeat tick up once she catches his scent. Her keen Omega nose could smell the scent of the forest and the chill of the night on his still sweat damp skin. Other than a slight twitch of her nose Lydia doesn't move and continues on with her reading. Peter’s content to stand in front of the doorway. He's content to stare at her ignoring him. Aware that he’s too dirty to step on any of the expensive rugs he has in his office. Aware that were he to get close to her so soon after shedding his wolf he'd probably scent mark her. Not the smartes thing to do with the family dinner coming up.

“Your tracking mud on the floor!” Lydia’s face becomes tight with anger at the sight of his feet. She doesn’t comment on his nudity. Instead she stares into his eyes and cocks her eyebrow. “I hope you don’t expect me to clean up after you.”

Peter smiled. Lydia was swaddled in a bathrobe he was pretty sure came from his closet. Her feet were wrapped in fuzzy socks and her hair was out of her face in a low bun. Makeup-less and relaxed she was a content Omega and Peter’s Alpha wanted to bathe in her scent. He wanted to wrap her in his arms and combine their scents. He wanted her to smell like him and only him. He wanted to kiss her plump lips red and defile that couch.

He didn’t bother to keep his desires out of his scent, and when his cock sprang to life he made no move to hide it. Peter was a virile Alpha still in his prime. It had been years since Corinne and Peter hadn’t found many people he wanted enough to pursue even a sexual relationship. But his want for Lydia broke through his anxieties. He didn’t just desire her he treasured her. Peter enjoyed who she was past her looks and abilities. 

Once he let Talia know of Lydia’s banshee status she was more open to taking her in. With Laura a semester away from graduation and off to college soon after, Talia was planning on bringing Lydia into the house and into the pack. With that came the protection, should she need it, of the Beacon Hills pack from any threat. That took care of the Kate Argent problem. If it should arrive.

Lydia was as good as pack, and no longer untouchable. That did not mean she was Peter’s to touch. Aside from the usual teasing, and the sweet scent of her arousal, Lydia hadn’t given Peter permission to touch her or pursue her. Even now as he stood bare and hard at the sight of her, she only stared into his eyes. Her chest looked flushed through the small opening of his robe, and the tantalizing way her breasts rose and fell made his mouth water. 

“Make sure you get something to eat. You were in your room for a long time.” Peter turned away from her and the pungent scent of their combined arousal without bothering to look back. When he showered he took himself in hand and didn’t bother to bite back the sounds of pleasure that slipped through his lips. Let Lydia here him. Let her hear what she does to him and know that he will never touch her until she tells him to.


	12. Chapter 12

Dinner at the Hale’s is always a noisy affair. Especially when they invite guests. While the family dining room is large enough to seat the family in the house, the addition of guests gave James the excuse to bring out his grill and barbecue. After the Stain of ‘92 Peter’s mother banned barbecue sauce in the house so the family set up as many tables and benches as they had and ate outside. This led to games for the kids, scent tag in the woods, dodgeball, and whatever game they could think of.

Anna usually made the drinks, sweet and sugary for the kids and dangerously alcoholic for the wolves. His sister had studied horticulture in college and had mastered a measurement of wolfsbane to alcohol ratio and created her own successful line of beers and spirits. She saved her best stuff for family and put the rest on the market. Peter hoped that whatever she created would be strong because he would need it to get through this dinner.

In addition to Alpha Alice, Derek had invited his boyfriend Stiles to the finally meet the family. After hiding the boy for six months Laura had finally tricked Derek into telling his mother about him and she insisted he invite him to dinner. If that wasn’t bad enough Laura would be breaking the news of her acceptance to NYU. Essentially breaking the family tradition of going to Berkeley. Talia will be upset about Laura hiding that from her, James crushed about the distance, and it would totally detract from Talia’s plan to reveal to the pack that Lydia was going to be moving in.

It was gonna be an absolute disaster of a dinner. Usually, he’d be excited about it. Peter couldn’t have orchestrated a better fiasco if he tried. All the chaos would basically smother news of her announcement. Peter couldn’t enjoy any of it because he knew Lydia would be crushed. 

The night of the dinner he watched as she took extra care with her hair and makeup with the knowledge that she was to be totally upstaged by his nephews' romance melodrama, his nieces' decision to live her life the way she wanted, and his sister’s control issues. There was the added benefit that Alice might run for the hills once she saw the dysfunction that was his family. Not that he planned for that to benefit him in the slightest.

Family barbecues always include a run so Peter wore comfortable jeans and loafers that he wouldn’t mind mucking up in the yard. Lydia dazzles in an off the shoulder floral dress that made him want to lick her collarbones and bite at the freckles on her shoulders. Her gorgeous red hair shined in a braided crown. Rebellious strands of golden red frame her face and shoulders leaving Peter stunned at the Omega’s beauty.

Their eyes meet through the mirror in his foyer and Peter can see through her mask to the nervousness and fear. Although Lydia doesn’t know about Talia’s announcement she’s definitely nervous about her first family dinner. Her only goal when coming here had been to join his pack. Her entire was family was dead, she had no Plan B. She didn’t know her goal was about to be accomplished but she was nervous anyway.

“You look stunning,” Peter said when she turned to him, “It’s a shame everyone will be too distracted to notice it.”

Lydia’s eyes narrowed, “Is there something you want to share with the class, Peter?”

Peter smiled and reached behind himself to open the door, he offered her his arm. Without taking his eyes off of him, Lydia stepped closer and settled her fingers on his elbow. Her eyes showed that she was still suspicious, but she allowed him to be close. There were many moments like this since the night of his run. Lydia had obviously picked up on his interest. Whether or not she felt the same way was still up in the air.

“Peter,” She said as he walked them both out the door, “You’d tell me if I was walking into something unpleasant, wouldn’t you?”

There were several ways to answer her but nothing made him happier than choosing to be silent. It’s not like she would be in danger, she was just about to see another side to his family. A part she probably hadn’t considered when she decided she wanted to join their pack.

 

The drive to his sisters' house took the usual twenty minutes thanks to the abnormally good weather and Peter’s luck at catching mostly green lights the whole way over. Lydia kept a tight control of the radio after Peter played an hour of country music to annoy her. He let her have control without complaint, Lydia’s taste in music wasn’t all that bad. Once they reached the drive leading up to his family’s home Peter smelled the sweet scent of James’ grill. He could hear his nieces and nephews playing freeze tag with his parents.

Peter felt the release of a tightness he hadn’t known he’d been carrying on his shoulders. The drive in front of the house had all the usual suspects but the addition of a beat up blue Jeep caught Peter’s eyes. Derek couldn’t have been smart enough to bag the Sheriff’s kid. His nephew just didn’t have that kind of luck.

“What are you smirking about?” Lydia spoke up from the passenger seat. When Peter turned to her their eyes met like she’d been staring at him for a long time. She probably had been. Lydia was a sharp Omega, she saw more than she liked to let on. Peter has caught her watching him several times during the drive over.

“This night has just gotten so much better.” Peter can’t keep his excitement out of his voice. Before she can ask him to explain he gets out of the car and pushes his more force into his step to make it over to her side of the car before she can get out. He opens the door for her and she stares at him suspiciously.

“You in a mood.” Lydia drawls.

Peter shrugs and extends a hand to help her step out of the car. “I wouldn’t call happiness a mood.”

Their eyes never lose contact as she stands up, “I’m not familiar with this particular version of Peter.”

Peter smiles and shuts the door behind her, stepping into her space and shamelessly breathing in her scent. Over the usual scent of cranberries and grass, there’s perfume. So floral it tickles his nose when he leans in to whisper in her ear, “You haven’t seen even a fraction of what I can do Lydia. Keep that in mind while you make your observations.”

As quick as he steps into her space he steps out of it and starts walking towards the backyard. The gate is unlocked when Peter tests it and when he steps into the backyard the comfort of pack hits his body in a wave. Children chase each other with his parents in Beta shift behind them. At the grill, Cora and James stand in dorky aprons and stare at the grill with serious expressions. James has a whole marinade and glaze process that makes his barbecue tender and so delicious that he guards with the utmost severity. The only person in the family who knows it is Cora because she’s the only one in the family who has any skill in the kitchen.

Peter walks further into the yard and gets a glimpse of the wide porch where Derek and his human sit next to each other and scowl. Stiles, a dark-haired amber eyed teenager looks out at the yard, at their pack, with something like longing in his eyes. Derek, sitting next to him, looks at him with a stubborn face hiding two eyes of the deepest devotion. Peter knew his nephew to be a fool when it came to his heart, but this was just ridiculous.

“Derek let your human play, don’t hog the boy.” Peter purred when he stepped onto the porch. They both jumped at his voice and Peter smirked. “I’m Derek’s, Uncle Peter.” He extended a hand to the human, who looked back at Derek before taking it.

“I’m Stiles. And I’m not a human, I’m a Spark.” With a flick of one thin wrist, Stiles opened his flannel to reveal his species pin on the graphic t-shirt underneath. Captain America’s Shield was emblazoned across his chest and right next to his collar was a tiny flame on a field of snow. Peter nodded, suitably impressed.

There were very few Sparks in existence. They existed in the same classification as Druid or Witch but were a type of magic whole their own. They were belief itself, its where they drew their magic. There was a passage in a book Peter read once that said there was probably only one Spark born a generation. The last one Peter had known of perished about six years ago.

“Where has Derek been hiding you?” Peter laughed. Without invitation, Peter squeezed between his nephew and the Spark. “I’m sure I would have remembered if my nephew mentioned he was dating a Spark. And the Sheriff’s son at that.”

Stile glanced at Derek over Peter’s shoulder a little helplessly and Peter heard Derek start to growl a second after he smelled the sour scent of his attitude.

“Uncle Peter,” Derek whined. Peter turned to his nephew to see red tinted cheeks and heated eyes, “Can you go somewhere else? Now!”

Peter raised his hands up in surrender, “What I’m just trying to get to know the object of my nephew's affection. That is why you brought him here isn’t it?” Peter meets his nephews gaze with an innocent grin. Derek growls louder.

Behind him, over the noise of his aggravated nephew, he hears the sound of Lydia gasping. On instinct, he turns to make sure she’s okay, the thought of messing with his nephew far from his mind at the idea of Lydia in distress. He finds Lydia staring at Stiles, who meets her tear-filled eyes with equally an shocked and tear-filled stare.

“Lyd’s? You’re alive?” Stiles stands up and approaches the Omega with start and go steps. He seems conflicted. Stuck between obvious joy at seeing a friend and pain, an old pain that has grown as they both have.

“You two know each other.” Derek stares between the two of them, his insecurity all over his face. Peter reminds himself that Derek didn’t know about Lydia’s connection to those old fires. Eight years ago he was a kid and it never affected him. Aside from his sister, Peter is the only one who knows about Lydia and Stiles’ connection. 

Lydia grabs Stiles’ arm and tugs him into the house, away from Derek and Peter’s eyes. His nephew, the possessive fool, was on his feet and after them but Peter grabbed Derek’s arm and walked them both off the porch to give the two old friends at least a little privacy.

“Uncle Peter what-” Derek stumbled off the porch while Peter tugged him along towards the now sitting crowd of children. The twins were playing Duck, Duck, Goose with the family. As the youngest human children instead of chasing the game usually ended with Claire or Charlotte getting tossed in the hair and shrieking too loud.

“Today is not about you so get it together. Play with your cousins, go annoy your sister, but just give Stiles and Lydia a little space.” Peter tightens his grip on his nephew so the stubborn teen can’t turn around.

Stubbornly, Derek opens his mouth to argue. Peter silences the boy with a look, “It’s not your day.” He reminds him. Grudgingly, Derek walks further into the yard and joins his cousins in their game. Peter watches a second longer to make sure he doesn’t sneak off to bother his Omega and her friend. After Claire declares, “Goose!” and sends Derek on a chase around the circle, Peter decides he’s adequately distracted.

“Peter!” Anna calls. Peter turns to see his sister hugging a bowl of covered potato salad against her large stomach. She looks like she’s been in the sun too long, and her brown curly hair has frizzled to the point of no longer resembling a ponytail, and there were child-sized handprints on her jeans. But she’s smiling, her brown eyes are alight with life and Peter feels like a boy, about to chase his little sister into the forest.

“Coming, Little Red!” Peter jogs over to the adult corner of the yard. James hovers over the grill like a helicopter while Talia plays perfect hostess. A grouping of picnic benches and tacky patio furniture made up the outdoor eating area. Seated on furniture that neither matched nor looked good together was the usual horde of teenage werewolves Peter called his family, and two or three friends he’s met before.

Erica’s Boyd, as she called him, was in attendance as well as a few members of the lacrosse team. Jackson Whittemore, the most insufferable Beta Peter had ever met sat on a picnic bench with Kira and his packmate Isaac Lahey. Cora drifted from her father and now she and Lydia sat together on an iron worked patio set painted a chipping white. Laura shadowed her mother, who went table to table with snacks as if the huge buffet table of food next to the grill didn’t exist.

Anna didn’t comment on Peter bringing up his nickname for her, but her eyes lit up, “A day for Big Bad? What do you have planned and how can I help?”

Peter smiled, he could always count on Anna to be on board with any plan. Peter dashed a quick glance towards Talia to make sure she wasn’t watching him. His eyes caught Lydia’s who looked at him and Anna with something like suspicion in her eyes. Seeing no reason to keep her in the dark, Peter chanced a wink. Lydia’s response was a blank stare and then she returned to her conversation with Cora.

Anna set the potato salad in an ice chest and turned back to Peter with an anxious look, “I may look big but I’m nimble. Don’t let the belly fool you.” Peter could barely manage a snort before he heard Talia’s knowing voice.

“What are you two giggling about?”

“Nothing!” Peter and Anna straightened and locked arms together. Though their voices sounded normal their faces were contorted from the effort of trying not to giggle. Together they turned their backs on their Alpha and started walking towards the house. They had to get away from Talia, their big sister knew them too well not to suspect them of planning to ruin her dinner.

“Keep calm, Little Red. The trap has already been set, all we have to do is trigger it.” Peter doesn’t know why he didn’t think this night would be amazing. Talia had given him so much ammunition.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Sorry for the delay in posting. Family life and burnout are real sonuvabitches when it comes to getting your work done. But! I'm nearing my end of this story and I'm excited to share it all with you.

Dinner is in the Hale household is chaotic, loud, and honestly the most entertaining part of being in a pack. Food has a way of bonding people, especially members of pack. Tucking in together over James’ perfectly cooked ribs and watching the young ones get messy with barbecue sauce sends a shot of dopamine straight to the werewolf brain. Even Peter can’t help but smile and soften up on his teasing.

Lydia sits at a table with Laura, Kira, Erica, and the lacrosse players. Their conversation, when Peter deigns to listen in, is boring teenage chatter. They’re all around an age where they're either in school or about to go off to college. Due to her constant moving, Lydia had to be homeschooled and graduated early. She still manages to hold her own in a conversation that as far as Peter is as shallow as a kiddie pool.

It’s the color in her cheeks though that keeps him from making a cutting comment and taking her attention for himself. There’s a tension between them that could snap at any moment. His family’s barbecue was not exactly the place he wanted things to pop off between them. Talia was already suspicious of them. She’d hadn’t been subtle with her questions in her meetings lately. What his sister tried to pass off as curiosity about a future packmate, Peter saw to as his sister’s usual habit of trying to control everything in his life.

Alice, his sister’s latest maneuver for control, was sitting with his parents filling them in on the goings on of her pack back home. Claire was napping in his mother’s lap, barbecue sauce smeared across her face and twigs and leaves in her hair. Charlotte was across the yard sleeping in her father’s arms. Eli and Evan were arguing with Stiles, of all people, about some game that Peter didn’t care to learn about.

Derek, the lovesick pup he was, watched the Spark with hearts in his eyes. Peter had heard the boy introduce himself as Derek’s friend, but it didn’t take a werewolf to see that there was much more going on between them than friendship. He could tell James had caught on, but whether or not Talia had noticed that her oldest son was courting a Spark right under her nose wasn’t clear. She’d spent most of the meal-holding her youngest, Jason, in her lap and trying to coax him into eating the rest of his plate.

Despite her control issues Peter knew deep down that his sister just loved him, and the rest of their family very much. That knowledge didn’t make dealing with her control issues any easier. But it made it easier to accept them knowing that it was coming from a place of love. 

“Are you hiding from the rest of the family?” A familiar voice interrupted Peter’s thoughts. He’d hidden in the kitchen under the pretense of getting more napkins. When he noticed that his family was too preoccupied to notice his absence Peter just...didn't go back out. Alice of course had to be the one find him. 

She waved a bunch of empty beer bottles in her hand, “You’re sister said you guys recycle?” Peter jumped up to help her with the bottles and then directed her to the side door by the trash cans.

“For your information I’m not hiding,” Peter said while leading Alice back into the kitchen.

Alice scrunched up her nose, “Then what are you doing sitting in the kitchen,” She waved a hand around, “In the dark?”

Okay so he was hiding. It was easier to hide because for the first time in his life Peter was actually indecisive about something. He had enough ammunition on his family to blow his feelings for Lydia, and subsequently her joining the pack, out the water. Talia would hate that Laura was going to college across the country, and she’d be doubly upset that Derek had gotten a boyfriend without telling her. 

But why would he shoot his nieces chance at happiness in the foot? Knowing Talia she would no doubt freak out and go overboard on trying to reassert control to make herself feel better. As an Alpha herself Laura will definitely chafe under her mother’s increased smothering and will probably move away for good in an overreaction to get away from it. 

Then there was Derek. The saying about stones and glass houses comes to mind in that situation. Was he any different than Derek in his pathetic adoration for an Omega? Or whatever the Spark was.

“Let’s just say I saw an opportunity to get away from it all and I took it.” Peter returned to his seat on the island while Alice washed her hands in the kitchen sink. Her hair glowed like white gold in the limited lamplight coming from the backyard. He waited for her to return to the party but instead, she turned to him.

“Why would you want to get away from it all?” Alice flicked on a light, blinding them both for a few seconds. 

Alice’s pack, though as old as the Hale pack, has never reached their numbers. Alpha Bryan, the Alpha who came before her, was a lot more strict in who he chose to change. Most of their numbers came from born wolves. It was no wonder that the noise of his pack was enthralling to her.

“Trust me a few hours with my family and you’ll be begging for a break.” Peter had to actually work to put humor in his tone. His mood had dropped completely. He didn’t need perfect Alpha Alice sticking her nose in his life or his business. Childhood playmate or not Peter respected boundaries, privacy. Something his family, and werewolves like Alice, had no concept of.  
His true feelings must have crept into his voice because Alice’s eyes turned soft and appraising. “You know my pack isn’t nearly as big as yours.” She picked up a frame holding a picture of a family picnic from four years ago. Derek’s eyebrows are too big for his face and the twins had were sunburned infants under floppy hats.

“You might like it there if you ever visit. My city has the best coffee. And since it’s only my three pack members and me in the house there’s plenty of room.” Alice wasn’t subtle. In fact, Alice wasn’t even approaching subtle in her attempts to sell Peter on joining her pack.

Like Peter, Alice was approaching the age where most wolves would have been married. Pushing out a few babies and grooming the next Alpha. While he knew what had held him back he had no idea what was keeping Alice from making that leap. The thought that she’d been waiting for him all this time sent a shiver down Peter’s spine he didn’t particularly like.

“Alice,” Peter sighed. He’d hoped that his general disinterest would be enough to convince Alice that nothing would ever happen between them.

“Look I’m not an idiot. You don’t love me, I’m not your mate. But I don’t love you either. And I know for sure you aren’t my mate.” Alice’s cheer face looked as serious as Peter had ever seen it. She spoke her words like the facts they were, and Peter was comforted by the easy slip into business talk the conversation had taken. If Alice had opened with an impassioned, emotional speech Peter knew without a doubt he’d have left the room.

Better to face his family than an emotionally compromised Alpha. 

“I’m not like my sisters.” Peter can’t think of anything else to say. But Alice is shaking her head before he can even get the words out.

“No one expects you to be Peter.”

Peter let out a bitter snort, “Tell that to my childhood.” Tell that to his childhood. Tell that to Talia. For as long as he could remember he has never lived up to the shadow his older sister cast with all her accomplishments.

“Think of it this way. A pack’s safety is in what, numbers. You want more control? You want to get out from Talia’s thumb? Marrying me, joining my pack, is the best way to accomplish this.” When Peter opened his mouth to protest Alice held up a hand to stop him.

“Just think about it. You can only be Second for so long Peter.” With that she left Peter as she found him. Lights off, sitting in the kitchen with nothing but his thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for how short this chapter is but done is better than perfect.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait!

Peter returned to the party because being alone with his thoughts left him too open to thinking about Alice’s offer. What was stopping him from taking it? Unlike his marriage to Corinne, there was no fooling himself into thinking if he just loved his daughter enough he could get survive his marriage. Alice also had the benefit of being allies with his pack so he’d never have to worry about missing out on watching his nieces and nephews grow up.

In the yard, the adults still sit at the tables picking at their plates and talking. The children and teenagers have started a game of freeze tag. Among those unfrozen and running around are Stiles, Lydia, and Kira. Eli and Evan are ‘it’, the two of them run with eyes on each other and eyes on their prey. The sight of Lydia’s flushed cheeks and her hair flowing out behind her has Peter’s fingers itching to touch. He wants to chase, all werewolves love games of chase. But once he caught her Peter didn’t think he’d ever let her go.

The younger kids, Jason, Claire, and Charlotte, are all dozing on a nest of blankets not too far from where the bigger kids are playing. In an ideal world, Malia would have fit right in with her cousins. The last he’d seen her she’d have been napping on a blanket with the little ones. If she’d have grown up here, she’d be playing right along with the teens. Breathlessly laughing and goofing off while Eli and Evan tried to herd her into the other to tag her.

The thought of sitting with his sisters and their husbands made Peter’s stomach knot up. Instead, he moved to sit with the younger kids on the blankets. For an hour he watched the kids play. His thoughts moved between what Alice had offered him, what he knew to be true about his pack and his life, and Lydia. He always thought about Lydia, it was becoming a new normal for him. She hadn’t done anything about his offer or the tension mounting between them. Peter wouldn’t push her, but it was driving him mad not knowing whether or not she’d return his feelings and advances.

Around dusk, the humans got tired of playing freeze tag so Stiles and Lydia joined Peter with the little kids on the blankets. The lacrosse kids all came together so they headed out soon after. Ana and Erik gathered their children together to be put to bed. Peter’s parents followed them inside. The sun had dipped low in the sky turning the trees into dark silhouettes. Alice approached with two large bags of leftovers in hand and a kind smile on her face.

“I was just thanking your sister for having me, I had a lot of fun.” Alice lifted the bulging bags, “I’m heading out but I wondered if you’d walk me to my car.” She looked at Peter meaningfully, and the words they’d exchanged earlier came back to the forefront of his mind.

Without realizing it, Lydia and Stiles had made Peter into a pillow. Both were staring between Alice and Peter with interest in their eyes. Peter stood from the blanket and grabbed the bags of leftovers. Before he left Peter turned back to Lydia and nodded his head over to his sister.

“You should go speak with Talia before we leave.” He doesn’t wait to see her response. Peter leads Alice out of the side gate to the front of the house. 

They walk in silence, just the sounds of their feet on the leaf covered ground. When they arrive at the front of the house a lot of the car’s Peter had seen when he arrived had cleared out. Alice unlocked the car and helped Peter arrange the bags in a way that would keep them from tipping over and spilling all over her upholstery.

“Thanks for having me, I really enjoyed myself.” Alice lingered near the drivers' side of the car. Her keys were in her hand but she made no move to unlock and get into her car.

Peter offered her a wan smile, “About your offer-”

“Save it.” Alice waved a hand between them, “I’m coming back for the next full moon with my pack so we can run together in your woods. Alpha Talia already invited us.”

Peter let out a defeated chuckle, “Of course she did.” 

Alice smiled in return and then her face shifted into apprehension. He saw what she was going to do reflected in her eyes but made no move to stop her when she moved up on tiptoe and ran her nose along the column of his neck. Peter held himself stiffly, allowing the contact. Alice took this as a sign to continue. She ran her fingers through his hair twice, scratching at his scalp lightly with her short fingernails. Once she was finished scent marking him she stepped back with pink in her pale cheeks and hurried to get into her car.

“See you soon Peter,” Alice waved once and the pulled out of the driveway as quickly as she could without giving the impression that she was running away. 

What she had done was bold. It was taking the sort of tentative courtship Talia had been pushing them towards and notching it up about six notches. You didn’t scent mark anyone you weren’t interested in, anyone you didn’t want everyone to know you were interested in. Peter should have stopped her. He should have scent marked her back if he was actually considering her offer. Alice had been right. As long as his life would be as a werewolf he wouldn’t be able to spend all of it as Second to the Alpha. Once Talia stepped down it would be time for the next generation of leadership to take over. Meaning Laura and Derek. Not Peter.

When Peter reentered his family home he heard a lot of commotion coming from the kitchen so he went there. The scent of Alice was still on his skin but he was hoping that everyone would be too focused on all the squealing and laughter he could hear coming out of the kitchen. He entered the room to see Lydia being smothered in a group hug while Laura, Cora, Kira, and Erica talked excitedly over one another. He couldn’t make out exactly what was being said but Peter gathered from the fanfare that Talia had revealed that Lydia would be joining the pack.

“Congratulations, Little Omega.” Peter allowed himself one smile, and the ruffled Lydia’s hair because he knew she would hate it.

Lydia beamed over at him over Ana’s shoulder, “You knew! And you didn’t say anything?”

Peter held his hands up in surrender, “Hey, Alpha’s orders. I listen to my sister sometimes.” Peter caught Talia’s eye and they shared a knowing smile. 

“Hey, uh, speaking of Alpha’s orders,” Erik leaned too close for Peter’s liking and took an exaggerated sniff, “You and Alice roll all over each other before she left?”

Peter would have glared at his brother in law if doing so wouldn’t be a show of weakness. As it was he wanted to throttle the Russian werewolf for opening his big mouth with Lydia and Talia in the same room. In a second the attention switched from Lydia onto Peter. Every wolf approached to take a whiff of his scent, before backing away with knowing smiles. Peter wanted to claw those smiles off their faces.

“Uncle Peter getting it on with another Alpha, kinky.” Erica chuckled.

Talia sent the teenager a warning look and then spoke to the room at large, “If you have school tomorrow you should be in bed. Now.” Talia watched with a stern gaze as all the teenagers filed out of the room one by one until only Erik, James, Ana, Laura, and Lydia were left.

“That includes you, young lady.” Talia motioned for Laura to follow the rest of the teenagers out.

Laura didn’t make any move to leave, “Uncle Peter might marry into another pack! I feel like this is something the future Alpha should sit in on and observe.” 

Talia raised one eyebrow, “Laura Jane,”

“Alright fine, goodnight.” Laura left the room in a dramatic huff. Before speaking Talia waited until she was sure none of the teens, namely Laura, was trying to eavesdrop before she continued. 

Through all of this Peter sat with his head in his hands trying not to claw his eyes out. They’d just grow back and he had no time to deal with that when he still had to drive home. With Lydia no less. The Banshee had been silent and subdued, a total shift from the happiness she practically radiated upon learning of her acceptance to pack.

“Where’s Derek?” Peter asked into the silence. Everyone was waiting for Talia to start grilling him about Alice. Talia was waiting for Peter to offer up the information willingly. At this point, it was nearing eight o’clock and Peter wanted to be home already.

“Driving the young Spark home. Such a nice boy. Very clumsy, and talkative.” James spoke up from his place by the fridge. Then a discussion started up about Stiles and Derek that Peter knew would have his nephew blushing and furious. Talia didn’t contribute to the conversation. She was too busy studying Peter, who met her gaze with a cool unaffected stare of his own.

Talia stood from where she was leaning against the kitchen counter and started walking towards the door leading out of the kitchen, “Peter will you join me in my study.” It wasn’t a request.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All mistakes are my own.

“Nothing happened alright,” Peter began once the soundproofed door shut them out from the listening ears of every wolf in the house. “She scent marked me before she left. I did not reciprocate and as soon as I see her again I plan on setting the record straight between us.”

Talia lets him speak and then shrugs, “Fine. I understand arranged matings like these take time. As old-fashioned as you may think me I am a modern Alpha. I’d never force you to marry someone if it would truly make you unhappy.”

Peter frowned. Now he was confused. That wasn’t what he’d expected her to say. “Okay, then why did you call me up here?”

“I’ve located Kate Argent.”

Peter’s blood went cold. He couldn’t hide his reaction from his scent but his face remained impassive, “I guess it pays to be in politics after all.”

Talia ignored him in favor of circling her desk and producing a folder with the words CLASSIFIED stamped on it in big red letters. Cliche much? 

“After your last report on how Kate’s trail ran cold with no explanation, I looked into the last time she was sighted.” Talia opened the page and pointed to a picture of Kate. She wore dark glasses and the quality of the photo wasn’t that good but Peter would never forget that woman’s face.

“Lydia’s been with us for almost a month now. Kate’s been trail went cold exactly six weeks ago.” Talia pulled out the folders of documents that Peter compiled himself and began comparing it to the folder given to her by her source.

“Peter, look at these dates,” Talia pointed.

Peter was looking. And a lot was starting to come together in his mind. He’d seen Lydia in a catatonic state once, had heard her scream a few times since they’d locked down her Banshee origin. Banshees weren’t the harbinger of death, but Lydia had felt Kate’s death. And then she’d ended up here, with the only pack to have a standing peace treaty with the Argents. Did he think Lydia capable of murder under the right circumstances, absolutely. But something in his gut told him that Lydia wasn’t the one who killed Kate.

“Do you remember the names of her friends? The one Kate targeted?” Peter pulled a paper detailing Kate Argent’s most recent credit card purchases and studied it. 

Talia moved quickly to locate another file that Peter had compiled for her, “Here,” She handed it to him.

As he suspected the McCall boy had died in the fire. There was also Allison Argent, Chris Argent’s daughter and, someday, the future Matriarch of the Argent family. Chris had taken Allison away soon after the death of McCall. They moved back last year with the promise that they’d had no contact with Kate or Gerard. Though their peace treaty still stands Peter has remained vigilant on Argent comings and goings for long enough to know that the Argent girl hadn’t had a hand in this.

That left, “Stiles? Isn’t he the boy Derek brought to the barbecue?” Talia looked to Peter for confirmation. Peter was in his head, piecing together the timeline of Lydia’s arrival, Kate’s death, and Derek’s relationship with the Sheriff’s son.

“Who better to cover up a murder than the son of the local Sheriff?” Peter smirked. 

He turned to Talia and smiled, “I think, we need to have another family dinner. Tell Derek to invite the Spark, I’ll bring in Lydia.”

“What do you have planned?” Talia helped him organize and pack away the documents. They’d need to deal with those later. He’d have to. That information could lead to a lot of trouble for his Little Omega.

“What’s done is done, Tal. Kate’s dead, Lydia’s safe, and just a head’s up the Spark is dating Derek. All we can do is protect the pack.” Talia nodded in understanding. With that, Peter left the study and said his goodbyes to the remainder of his family in the kitchen.

 

He beckoned to Lydia, who didn’t look him in eye as she passed him to lead the way to his car. Before they were fully out the door Talia stopped them to hug Lydia goodbye and to let her know that she’d have a space ready for her in the house as soon as Laura left for college. Lydia smiled and thanked her. Peter could tell that her heart wasn’t in it. Her mind was elsewhere. Her scent was a muddle of emotions Peter couldn’t decipher in front of his sister and no doubt half the family.

Once in the car, Lydia’s scent turned bitter. Her jaw was set and her eyes glared through his windshield like it’d personally offended her. It didn’t take a genius to figure out Lydia was upset but Peter wasn’t in the mood to play Guess What I’m Angry About with her. He was too pleased with her. He’d known she was an intelligent girl, but the ruthlessness her now saw in her turned him on. She could be angry at him all she wanted, it wouldn’t make him love her any less.

How could Peter have gotten so lucky as to meet someone like Lydia? An Omega who drove the wolf and Alpha in him wild with protective urges. A woman with an intelligence that rivaled his own. He already knew he could cohabitate with her without wanting to claw his eyes out. His family loved her, which is more than he could say about Corinne at any point in their relationship. Lydia was his match, his equal. And all it took was her stumbling barefoot onto his sister’s back porch for him to find her.

“Stop it.” Lydia bit out into the silence. She was fully on scowling now with her arms and legs crossed. The picture of frosty elegance in a sundress. Peter wanted to rough her up. Tumble with her through the grass and leaves and get her messy because he knew she would love and hate it all the same.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Peter responded evenly. Lydia’s scent warmed with arousal, but her jaw remained clenched. Her entire body was stiff with an anger she wouldn’t voice but she wanted him to notice. His little contemptuous queen.

When Peter pulled up to his apartment Lydia was out of the car and in the lobby of the building before Peter had even put the car in park. Though she didn’t run, she walked at a brisk pace to get away as quickly and gracefully as possible. Peter let her pace away from him and took his time parking. His lounged around in the lobby, checking his mail and chatting up the neighbors Peter has avoided for all five of the years he’s lived here.

Lydia was already upstairs, waiting at his locked front door because Peter had the only key. Peter decided to take the stairs instead of the elevator. The walk would be good for him. He could sort his mail. Walk off that heavy meal. The idea had many benefits, but the best of all was that it’d annoy Lydia. With any luck, it’d annoy her enough to speak up about what’s bothering her. Because if he didn’t get it out of her tonight she’d get all passive aggressive and he didn’t want to deal with it.

He had a standing ten o’clock appointment with a bottle of lotion and the cranberry scent of her hair in his mind. Peter had come to love the soft coral pink of her lips. He suspected lipstick but never smelled the chemical. Lydia just happened to look that beautiful naturally. He wanted her to be happy after finally getting what she’d wanted. Protection within his pack. A family. Safety. Lydia had been in his library more than anyone else. She knew his family's status in the Supernatural community, His Omega was a shark she’d had to have thought of the status a position within his pack afforded her.

Peter knew she was upset, but he knew she deserved nothing but happiness at her victory. Lydia Martin had finally gotten her way, and Peter shouldn’t have doubted for a second that she wouldn’t.


	16. Chapter 16

Peter arrived at his apartment door to see a shivering, furious Omega. Her red hair gleamed golden in the hallway light. The braided crown had come undone hours ago. Her hair now hung loose and curly around her shoulders. Her scent was miserable and angry all at once. Cranberry so sour it felt like he’d bitten into one raw. 

“Oh, Lydia-”

“Don’t!” She whispered, barely controlled fury forced the words out of chattering teeth. 

Peter sighed. Then he regretted that because he still had to walk past her and that sour bitter scent. Maybe he’d taken it too slow on the stairs. He’d forgotten how cold Omega’s got, and he knew Lydia especially hated the cold. He’d never asked, but Peter suspected something traumatic. Which of course led him right back to Kate fucking Argent. 

Taking a deep breath, Peter passed Lydia and unlocked the door as quickly as possible. With one arm he gripped the stiff Omega by her waist and shuffled her as quickly as possible into the apartment. In quick movements, he had Lydia sitting on the couch closest to the fireplace. He wrapped her in his coat. It was thicker than the faux leather “jacket” she claimed matched her outfit.

Once he thought her sufficiently covered he moved over to the wall of switches he rarely had reason to use. Peter enjoyed luxury, what man didn’t. But he’d never had a reason to use the granite fireplace that came with the building. He flipped a few experimentally, turning off lights he hadn’t known could turn off and dimming the room entirely in the process.

“Wha-what are you do-doing over th-”

“I’m trying to turn on the fireplace!” Peter exclaimed, not in frustration but to make sure she could hear him over the chattering of her dramatic teeth. His finger hit the leftmost switch on the panel and with a roar, the fireplace came to light.

Lydia shrieked in surprise which, god. Peter had to close his eyes to get control of the way he needed her. The Omega smelled amazing. Her distress earlier had sent him into a bit of a frenzy, which is to be expected at this point. Lydia was constantly surprising him. His Alpha wouldn’t rest until he’d soothed the Omega, and his wolf was close to the surface with the full moon so near. Peter was ashamed of his lack of control. If Talia could see him now… He would have to swear Lydia to silence.

Peter sat on the couch and didn’t wait for Lydia to swallow her pride and snuggle up to him. She was cold, and Alpha’s ran on that special brand of heat that felt amazing to Omegas. By now she knew he wouldn’t push for anything, this was as much for her as it was for him. The Alpha in him needed to soothe the distressed Omega. Peter needed to know Lydia was okay, and something in him knew she needed to be soothed. The life she’d lived, at her age. Peter admired the survivor in her.

With one hand, he lifted her closer, onto his lap. With the other, he arranged her so that she sat across his lap, bridal style, then wrapped an arm around her waist to hold her close. She allowed the movement with a scowl. She endured his embrace in silence and Peter wanted to flick her nose. What a stubborn child.

“Lydia, if something is bothering you, you should speak up.” Peter mockingly chastised.

Lydia jerked in his grasp, scrambling out of his grip in her anger. Peter kept his grip on her but was careful not to exert too much strength. Lydia bruised so easily. She was not so considerate. Her feet, still booted, in boots he’d bought her, she kicked at his thigh and scratched at his arms.

“Stop acting like a child,” Peter grunted.

“You expect me to lay in your arms with her scent all over you?” Lydia snapped. Peter looked at her in shock. Was his Little Omega jealous? His precious, ruthless Lydia.

“Little Omega,” Peter chuckled, “I’ve been waiting for you to stake your claim. I offered myself to you,”

Lydia’s nose was still wrinkled, “You’re mine. I don’t understand how werewolves do it but Erica and Kira were willing to share their room with me. Even Cora offered to share. Talia offered to put me up at the house a long time ago but I turned her down, I wanted to be with you.” She punctuated her sentence by punching Peter in his chest. 

Peter grabbed her hand and brought her cold fingers to his lips, “Lydia I’m considerably older than you. I can’t just mount you and expect my family to be okay with it. That’s not how we do it in my family. That’s not how werewolves do it.” Peter stared into Lydia’s eyes and smiled. He saved his best smiles for her, Peter hoped she knew that he saved the best parts of himself for her.

“Show me.” Lydia whispered.

Peter nodded and with quick movements changed his grip on Lydia and maneuvered her into straddling him. This brought her stumbling into his chest and her hair fell like a curtain around them. Lydia stared through him, her pupils dark pools in the thin green ring of her irises. Her cheeks were flushed red. Her breath came in short pants. Lydia didn’t wait for him to let her adjust, she grabbed his shoulders and trusted him.

“Now, I know you understand how scents work. Scents aren’t just a sense for wolves. The scent of pack contributes to the pack bond and the sanity of the wolf. The scent of a mate soothes a wolf much in the same way a packmate would, but the love is deeper, the bond stronger. It all begins with scents.” As he spoke, Peter trailed one finger down Lydia's cheek. His finger followed the patrician line of her nose, across her jaw, and down the elegant slope of her neck.

“Talia wants me to bond with Alice. She thinks it’s about time I remarried and she invited Alice as a possible candidate.”

“What happened to your first wife.” Lydia’s voice was sharp, she wouldn’t allow him to shut down this topic of conversation now. Peter knew he’d brought this on himself. With a sigh he adjusted Lydia so that she was sitting up on his lap, staring eye to eye with him.

“Corinne was a woman passing through Beacon Hills who knew nothing about my family. We met in a bar and thought to ourselves, ‘Good enough.’ She was an outlet from the pressures put on me by Talia and my parents, the pack. Corinne was an outlet.” Peter’s voice was almost monotone. Like he was telling a story about someone else.

“We were stupid and Corinne got pregnant. Talia insisted I marry her and Corrine was a different kind of shifter. She’d never had a pack before. We thought we could make it work, for Malia’s sake.” Peter’s voice cracks around his daughter’s name. It’d been a long time since he’d heard it out loud. His family didn’t even talk about her anymore. He’s sure Laura remembers her but Derek and Cora? No way. 

Anna was off in Russia, falling in love with Erik when she should have been studying abroad. Peter regretted the fact that his sister never got to meet her niece. He regretted the fact that he’d allowed so much time to pass since he’d said her name. Malia wasn’t dead, she was still out there. Much happier, and safer, than with him and Corinne.

Lydia touched his cheek, “You’re daughter,” It wasn’t a question. 

“Malia was the first love of my life.” Peter spoke honestly, “Corinne and I was never gonna be some love story. She hated being in the pack. She hated how overbearing it felt to have people surrounding her and looking out for her wellbeing.” Peter smoothed a golden curl behind Lydia’s ear. He relished this closeness. She smelled sweet. A heavenly scent that filled his apartment. Lydia had saturated this scent into his life, he couldn’t ever live without it.

“Corinne snapped one day. Postpartum depression that she never really got a handle on. At that point, I had taken over caring for Malia full time. I took paternity leave at the firm and dedicated a year to taking care of my daughter and my disinterested wife. Corinne blamed me and Malia for what was wrong with her came to the conclusion that killing us was the only way she would get better.”

Peter caught the tear just as it slipped out of the corner of Lydia’s eye. “Talia was able to get an annulment. She handled Malia’s adoption. I took care of Corinne, got her out of Beacon County for good.” The words came out in a robotic rush. Peter cleared his throat and squeezed his eyes shut to capture the moisture that had gathered there.

“I shouldn’t have demanded this of you,” Lydia sighed. “That was cruel of me.”

“You don’t have anything to worry about as far as Alice. I told you days ago I was waiting for your move.” Peter continued.

“Peter you’re allowed to mourn your daughter. I’m so sorry. Why would Talia force you to get married after what you went through the first time?” Lydia’s sounded so upset on his behalf. Peter had to smile.

“Werewolves are different,” Peter smirked. End of discussion. 

Lydia scowled adorably, “I will only allow that for so long Alpha Hale.” Peter laughed and held her close to his chest. His Little Omega, what a creature.

“Back to scents,” Peter nudged her.

Lydia nodded, a look of determination and focus settled over her beautiful face, “What does it mean to stake a claim?”

Peter grabbed Lydia’s hand from where it rested against his chest and brought it to his cheek, “Staking a claim can mean many things, but what Alice did was rub her scent on me to let other were’s know she was interested.” Lydia stroked his cheekbone. Peter turned into the warmth of her hand and kissed her palm.

“Our scents, as we speak, are mixing together right now. I’m getting a little of me, all over you. And you’re getting a little of you, all over me.” Peter smiled into Lydia’s palm. Being this close to her soothed him.

Lydia began touching him in earnest now. She rubbed at his cheeks, then his shoulders, all the way down to his chest. She thoroughly soaked him in her sweet, cranberry scent and Peter allowed it. He basked in the feel of her small, cold hands on his body. 

Peter’s scenting, was gentler. He stroked the elegant ridge of her jaw and the gentle sloping arc of her cheekbones. He ran his fingers through her hair, digging through the golden red strands until his hand became knotted in her tresses. Lydia sighed at his touch, the tension still on her shoulders finally releasing. 

“Are there…” Lydia’s voice has gone raspy so she paused to clear it, “What are other ways to stake a claim on someone?”

Peter, focused on slipping his hand underneath the two layers of jacket and up the skirt of her sundress, took a moment to think before he answered. He wanted to feel her skin, talking about scenting was the last thing on his mind while he held her so close.

“Any kind of prolonged physical contact, really. The intensity of the scent left behind is dependent on how long contact was initiated and where.” Peter’s hands finally reached the small of her back, causing the Omega to arch into his touch with a startled gasp.

She was so responsive. Her skin felt like the finest silk under his fingers. Peter spent a long moment just mapping the curve of her back with his hands. He learned every dip and curve and notch of her spine. With every caress Lydia was left a trembling mess, sinking into his grip and his touch beautifully. The scent of her arousal was warm, rich. 

“Show me,” Lydia gasped out. “Show me how to make you mine.”

Peter paused the wandering of his hands to focus in on what she was saying. _Did she know what she was asking? Was she aware that after this there was no going back? He would never let her go._

There was heat in her green eyes but he could see the hesitation there as well. Peter would never push her to do anything she didn’t want to. He was aware that should he try, Lydia would be ferocious in her retribution. There was nothing his Little Omega liked more than control, she wouldn’t abide by him taking it from her.

He had to hear her say the words.

“I don’t share,” Peter warned, “Call it middle child syndrome all you want but once you’re mine,” he left the rest unsaid. 

Peter held Lydia’s gaze until, with slow movements, the Omega rubbed her cheek against his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all mistakes are my own.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quick heads-up this chapter is a little more graphic than I intended.

He wanted to take it slow. God how he wanted to cherish her. He wanted to wring every last drop of pleasure from her sweet form until she was hoarse from calling his name and sweaty and slick from their lovemaking. Peter had a half-formed idea to eat Lydia out until he was drenched in her slick when Lydia took control of the matter and put him inside her. Peter didn’t have time to register her small fingers pulling his already hard and aching cock from the confines of his jeans. By the time he caught up to her she was sliding her panties aside and sliding her sweet cunt down his shaft. Enveloping him in the tight, hot heat of her.

“Jesus, Lydia,” Peter fought off claws as he gripped her hips and settled himself deeper inside of her.

“You’re mine,” His Omega growled. Her beautiful face was flushed red. The color spanned from her face down her beautiful neck and across her chest. She dug blunt nails into his shoulder while she took a moment to adjust to the size of him.

Alpha’s weren’t small by any means, and as a werewolf, Peter was particularly endowed. Lydia took all of him gracefully, moving her hips in tiny little jerks and rolls to settle him in more comfortably. Every slight movement had his Omega sighing in pleasure and Peter clenching his teeth to keep control. He could ravish her, destroy her so easily. The Omega was fragile, for all her fury and fire a man like Peter would have no problem snuffing the flame of her life.

This close to the heat of her all Peter wanted to do was burn. Bask in her glow and worship her like the goddess she was. 

Their lovemaking started off slow because Peter needed to restrain himself. His wolf was already keyed up and if he wasn’t careful he’d knot her in thirty seconds. Lydia didn’t appreciate this and tried to speed up the pace by bouncing on Peter’s cock. She urged him on with these frustrated little noises because she was beyond speech but not so out of it she couldn’t goad and pester Peter.

Peter moved them so that she was on her back with him hovering above her. He carefully stripped himself of his clothes and then carelessly clawed the fabric of Lydia’s dress until she was bare to him. The sight of her, naked and scowling over the ruined garment, was like the culmination of all of Peter’s dreams at once. He’d never thought he’d find a woman, let alone an Omega that he wanted as bad as he wanted Lydia.

Their claiming of one another only lasted thirty minutes before Peter’s knot caught inside her and without warning he came hard enough to make him black out. Peter hadn’t intended to knot her. He’d been hoping to save that for the second round, or at least after a few days of acrobatic lovemaking. His coupling with her had felt so good he hadn’t even had to force the knot to appear. Between one thrust and the next, he was just stuck in her, totally on accident.

Below him Lydia was still writhing in pleasure, unaware of Peter’s stillness. While the Omega squirmed and squeezed around Peter’s knot, unknowingly milking him of his very soul. It was all Peter could do to remain upright as he was assaulted with a pleasure, unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Peter was not a good man, he had never wanted to bedmates. Yet nothing he’d experienced with the most talented of his paramours could even come close to the sensations and feelings Lydia wrought from him.

Peter continued to orgasm for some minutes. All he could do was tremble and hold her because Lydia, the insatiable minx, hadn’t stopped moving after his knot caught. In his moment of euphoric weakness, she managed to get him to sit back against the couch with her straddling him. The angle pushed his knot deeper, made his orgasm feel that much better. The position allowed her to ride him, to take her pleasure from him because at that point he was no longer moving. 

“Peter,” Lydia cried. Her eyes were screwed shut, her hands gripped his shoulders, and her body moved around him in time to the rapid thumping of both their hearts. 

“Alpha,” Lydia whined desperately, another orgasm was near. Peter had found enough sense at during the last throes of his never-ending orgasm to hear the need and feel the way she clenched around him.

With his last bit of strength, Peter wrapped his hands around Lydia and pulled her down onto his knot. At the same time, he thrust up. Peter filled her, enveloped her, caressed her as Lydia screamed through her release. His Omega, his Banshee, fell apart all around him. Peter held her close to him and buried his face in her neck. The scent of satisfaction, arousal, and him came off her body in waves. His orgasm finally ended leaving Peter feeling drained and content. 

Lydia sagged against him and promptly fell asleep in his arms. One hand gripping the hair at the back of his neck and the other left to rest on his shoulder. Although he hadn’t marked her, the fact that he knotted her was overkill as far as claiming goes. He didn’t regret it though. And he hoped that when she woke up Lydia could say the same thing.


	18. Chapter 18

Peter greeted the next morning with the smug smile of a man who had gotten exactly what he wanted exactly how he wanted it. Lydia slept well into late afternoon, waking only to shower the sticky remnants of their coupling from between her thighs. She made a face and complained about the sensation of his release slipping out of her when she was vertical so Peter apologized by making her favorite food for lunch.

Over chicken caesar salad wraps Lydia wanted to get down to the logistics of their mating. She didn’t want a mating bite. She found them traditional and a tacky, insecure show of ownership. Lydia demanded a ring and Peter wholeheartedly agreed. Mating marks were a tradition, and Peter had never been one to care much about traditions.

She would keep the guest room as her own. Not only because her wardrobe had grown considerably since living with him but she also thought it important they have their own spaces if they ever needed to get away from each other. They both cherished and fiercely guarded their alone time so it was nothing for Peter to agree to this as well. His only concession is that they shared a bed at night and took their meals together.

Lydia’s last demand was school. With Kate chasing her it had been impossible for her to attend university and feel safe. Now that she has the Hale pack backing her and Peter at her side she felt more confident. Peter would accuse her of mating with him for protection if he didn’t already know her answer. He could feel his Omega’s affection for him through their bond. When their eyes met her scent became as sweet as candy. 

Whether she mated him for protection or connection to his pack didn’t matter. Lydia would stick around for him, and he was all the happier for her presence in his life.

Everything settled easily after that. Lydia used Peter’s address to send for her things from San Francisco. Without the looming threat of an Argent, Peter was able to refocus on his work. He’d slacked off for the past month to help Lydia. First with the Argent situation and then with her banshee issues. His bank accounts hadn’t suffered, and even if they had Peter still had his inheritance to fall back on. Still, the Alpha enjoyed his work and was eager to get back into it.

Lydia would never be a domestic goddess but she took it upon herself to hire a maid for the apartment on their third day as a mated pair. She began working on a meal plan and a shopping list since her biggest pet peeve about living with him was how empty his fridge was after a day of cooking. His Omega didn’t ask for permission and Peter wasn’t bothered by her changes. He just handed over his credit card and retreated to his office to work. 

Domestic life as a mated pair changed very little about their day to day routine. Instead of waking alone, Peter spent his mornings wrapped in the cranberry sweet scent of his Omega. They still ate together and spent their afternoons in his office working, but at night Peter could expect Lydia to curl into his side on the couch. Together they’d read a chapter of whatever book he had sitting around on the nightstand and then together they’d retire to bed. They held off on sex until Lydia could set an appointment with the local clinic for birth control.

It was more than Peter could ever think mating would be. He’d been married to Corinne, but their relationship may as well have been a business arrangement. Never before had Peter looked forward to seeing someone who was only a room away from him at all times. With the full moon only days away Peter found himself looking forward to seeing his family. Maybe it was the happy pheromones from being mated flooding his brain.

The day of the full moon was reserved for a long meal with the family and close friends. Werewolves could really pack away food, and shifting took a lot out of them. They’d need their strength before the run and something to eat once they came back the next morning. Lydia insisted they get there early so she could help out the family. Peter suspected this mostly had to do with the newness of her bond with the pack and not any actual want to help with the cooking.

They arrived at ten in the morning to fanfare and chaos. Peter found his father snuggly sitting in his armchair by the fireplace pretending to sleep. Peter’s mother was in the kitchen with Anna, who somehow looked bigger than the last time he’d seen her, and Talia. Laura stood nearby in an apron with a scowl on her face and Cora was over her shoulder micromanaging. Jason, Claire, and Charlotte were running through the house in their pajamas growling like pups. 

The second Peter and Lydia were within sniffing distance Laura’s head shot up from where it was bent over a cookbook, “Well it’s about time.”

Talia’s eyebrows flew up to her hairline a second before she school her face into something approaching normal, “Ah, Lydia. Do you think you could wrangle the children into their play clothes? James is off picking up the extra guests and we’re trying our hardest to produce something edible.”

Lydia nodded, set her bag down on the kitchen table and left the room. As she passed by Peter she ran her hand down his shoulder, blatantly scent marking him. Peter couldn’t blame her. She wasn’t aware that the family had been able to smell them from the moment they’d stepped through the front door. Then again, Peter thought as he caught the seductive sway of Lydia’s retreating form, she was always surprising him by what she knew.

Peter turned back to his sister’s and nieces to find Anna looking excited fit to burst, Cora smugly thanking Laura as they exchanged what could quite possibly be money, and Talia, looking disappointed. He ignored Talia in favor of smirking over at Anna. His little sister really was getting bigger every day with that pup of her’s. Maybe it was all the domesticity from the mating his mother raved about, Peter felt the strangest urge to hold his sister close.

“Okay,” Peter rolled his eyes with a smile, “Get it out of your system now.”

“I knew it! Talia was so convinced that you would mate Alice after she scent marked you.” Anna launched herself at Peter to wrap him in a fierce hug. Peter squeezed her back gently, enjoying the warm scent of pregnancy and family that came off her freckled skin.

Cora laughed, “I don’t know where she got that idea. Lydia watched him like a hawk. Anyone with eyes could see she wanted him.”

Talia shot her daughter a chastising look that the young wolf ignored. “I had hoped that Peter would have enough...discipline to see that mating an Omega as young as Lydia was unwise.” 

Peter shrugged just to get under her skin, “Yeah but where’s the fun in discipline?”

Cora high fived her uncle over the island, causing Talia to throw her hands in the air and stalk away to the fridge.

The rest of the family took the mating in stride. Eli and Evan cared more about the fact that an extra aunt meant more Christmas presents and began hassling Lydia about some game they wanted. Charlotte and Claire loved her already. The older teens enjoyed talking to her. It helped that they already had a pack bond with her. Peter’s mating came second to the relationships they already had with her. The evening felt like any other, the only difference being that Peter could kiss and embrace Lydia at his leisure.

Lydia actually did help out in the kitchen after wrangling the younger children into their play clothes. Jason was a wolf but too young to run off in the woods with the family just yet. Peter played with him outside, half shifted and teaching the young wolf how to defend himself. The same way he taught his other nieces and nephews to defend themselves in their shifted state. Derek and Laura, both banished from the kitchen since Lydia was slightly more proficient in the kitchen than them, helped him out. They gently tumbled and tackled little Jason. Playing gently enough for Charlotte and Claire to play along.

Boyd and the lacrosse kids were in attendance at the invitation of Kira and Erica. Jackson was standing next to Erik looking like a boy in dire need of a father figure. The young wolf was hanging off his brother in law’s every word. _Better him than me_ , Peter thought. 

The backyard was packed with bodies. His parents no longer went on a run but they had joined in playing with the younger kids and were chasing them around the large backyard. The teenagers filled the space with laughter and enjoyment as they helped set the tables and position lights around the perimeter of the property. Peter pitched in where needed by physically carrying the picnic benches to their usual spots in the large backyard. He received a cheer from all the ladies for his effort, but Peter only had eyes for Lydia.

She stood on the front porch with an apron around her waist and one of the younger children sitting on one hip. Peter could have lost himself in that image. Lydia, waiting at home for him with their child. A beacon from his den straight to his heart. Running on pure instinct, Peter opened his senses and letting the sweet cranberry syrup of Lydia’s scent pull him into her orbit. In a few short steps, Peter stood two steps below his Omega love. 

“What do you think?” Lydia raised the child, who turned out to be Charlotte, higher for his inspection. “I figured braids would be the best move for our little wolf here.”

Charlotte blushed and hid her face underneath Lydia’s neck. Peter could still see the two cute pigtails Lydia had braided the child’s blonde curls into. She wore a pair of dark shorts Peter is sure Derek once owned, and a tank top that smelled like she or her twin owned it. On her little feet were sturdy shoes tightly laced by Lydia most likely. Under one arm Lydia carried the child’s jacket and a beanie to cover her ears.

“I think she looks ready to run with the pack,” Peter smiled at his mate, and then at his niece. “You’ll need to get your coat on. It’s cold out there.” Peter reached for the thick sweater but Charlotte whined and tried leaning away. Lydia fought to keep her grip on the girl. Lydia was strong but Charlotte was one growth spurt away from Lydia’s shoulder.

“You need a coat, Charlie. That’s why your brother’s shift. So their coat keeps them warm while we run.” Peter motioned to Eli and Evan. They ran, half shifted and shirtless, from Peter’s dad and straight into a trap set up by Peter’s mom.

Charlotte stared at her Uncle with distrust, so Peter stopped smiling and started backing away, “Okay then, I guess you don’t want to come on a run with us.”

Charlotte whined again, “Okay!” She held out one thin arm and allowed Lydia to slide it into one sleeve. Peter helped her into the other sleeve. Charlotte let him button her into the jacket with no complaint. Once she was all bundled up Peter motioned over to one of the teenage wolves. Someone he could trust with a little human while running with the pack through the reserve.

“Boyd, come here.” Peter waved over at one of the lacrosse Beta’s. The tall, boy was seventeen and easily the most tolerable of the teenagers. He approached without a word and stopped to stand next to Peter at the bottom of the steps.

“Charlie here is running with the pack today. Can I trust you with my niece, Boyd?” Peter smiled at Boyd for his nieces' sake but made sure to stare into Boyd’s soul. Peter was a good judge of character so he didn’t feel any reason to threaten the young Beta. But Peter had a reputation to uphold. Protecting his pack ruthlessly by any means necessary didn’t work if you just easily handed off a human member of your pack to a nonpack wolf.

Boyd studied Peter, and then Charlotte and Lydia. He nodded once and held out his hands to take Charlotte from Lydia’s arms, “She can help me play tag against her brothers.” Boyd placed Charlotte on his shoulders, “I need a copilot.”

Charlotte giggled excitedly. With a high five from Boyd, the two ran off to chase Eli and Evan. The twins were fully shifted. Two, tawny brown teenage wolves ran around the large backyard dodging grabbing hands and claws. Charlotte didn’t have the senses need to be any good at the game, but where she pointed Boyd followed. Making their own kind of game and having fun their way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all mistakes are my own.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay. I joined another fandom and got caught up writing for that instead of this.

“You let the humans run with you?” Lydia asked. She dusted off splintered pieces of wood clinging to his shirt from the benches.

“Why not? They’re pack too.” Peter enjoyed Lydia’s absentminded grooming. 

“So, as part of the pack, I could run with you too?” Lydia pushed Peter’s hair back, wavy and longish it was hanging in his eyes. He didn’t like the way his fur felt when he shifted with products in his hair. He’d missed two haircuts since Lydia’s arrival so now wavy brown hair fell into his face without pomade to keep it orderly. It was how he generally wore his hair at home so Lydia was used to it. Still, he could feel how much she enjoyed touching and playing with it.

“If you want to, but you’d have to change your clothes.” Lydia was in the most outdoorsy clothes she owned, dark skinny jeans, stylish and almost impractical boots, and a thick sweater she’d snatched from his closet. A silver belt cinched the billowing fabric at her waist and allowed Peter to perfectly remember the curves of her body bare of any and all barriers.

“Peter!” Lydia waved a hand in front of her nose when the scent of his arousal reached her. Peter smiled shamelessly. Lydia didn’t sound as chasticing as she usually did when he flaunted his scent that way. She also didn’t protest when Peter wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the step. Her arms wrapped around his neck and the sweet silky fall of red hair brushed against his cheek.

“Peter!” The voice sounded strained and the sour scent of jealousy and hurt broke through the sweet scent of his mate. Peter turned to the voice his wolf searching for the sour scent. It couldn’t be coming from Lydia, who he still smelled of her joy and love for him.

Alice stood at the gate leading into the backyard with two wolve standing behind her. He recognized her brother, Elliot, and the third member of their pack Janet. The two wolves stared between him and their Alpha with confusion on their faces. Alice herself, was red in the face and looking close to letting her wolf out. Her claw tipped fingers gripped a large pan of what smelled like ribs and her eye flashed red wetly.

Peter allowed Lydia to slip out of his arms so he could approach the distraught Alpha. He could hear his family watching the scene with rapt attention. The scent of Alpha, sour and powerful was quickly filling the backyard.

“Alice, I had hoped we could talk about this. In private.” Peter added with a pointed look to his watching family.

Alice’s eyes flicked around the yard in a panic but she made no move to escape or escalate the situation. When her eyes touched Peter’s a tear spilled onto one cheek.

“You seem….happy,” Her voice cracked and her eyes tracked over his features once more before she turned to her packmate and shoved the pan of ribs into his chest. Without looking at anyone else Alice turned tail to leave. No one had a chance of protesting before she took off right through the back gate towards the front of the house.

Instinctively, Peter knew his sister was staring at him to see what he’d do next. He knew because the entire yard was staring at him no doubt wondering the same thing. It wouldn’t be surprising to everyone if Peter was so caught up in the haze of pheromones from his mating that he can’t even think to care about the woman he’d just hurt. Hell, Peter of a few months ago would have made a note to call her after the fact and apologize rather than allow his family to see him comforting Alice. 

Peter ignored his sister and he ignored his family to focus on Lydia. His mate stared after Alice with her public mask carefully in place. But Peter felt the yearning through their bond. She wouldn't apologize for mating Peter, but he knew that Lydia would have rathered not hurt someone who’d done nothing to her. That alone spurned Peter forward. He turned to his family and waved a hand towards Alice’s pack members.

“Can someone show Elliott and Janet where we’re putting the rest of the food? And Laura,” his niece stepped out from the back door onto the porch, “Once they’ve settled in give them a tour of the Preserve so they’re familiar with the trail we’re using tonight.” barking orders came naturally. The familiarity of it caused the teenagers and younger kids to get out of the stupor they’d been stuck in when Alice arrived. In seconds, Peter was jogging through the gate following Alice’s scent and the usual pack night roar of chatter and laughter started up behind him.

 

Peter followed Alice’s scent from the front yard into the woods bordering the drive leading up to the house. Her scent led into the woods for some time. She kept to an easily trackable path and made no efforts to cover her scent or muffle the sounds of her running ahead of him. Peter followed Alice until she stopped at the base of one of the older trees in the Preserve. Her tears had dried but the red in her face remained. Peter made himself known quickly enough, taking her easy trail to mean she didn’t plan on attacking him and his pack in anger.

Honestly, she didn’t smell angry at all. There was certainly sourness in her scent and hurt. Peter sat in front of her at a distance, as much as he was willing to give up in terms of fighting advantage. Alice was nothing like Corinne.

“Hey, Ally,” Peter spoke into the silence of the forest between them. 

Alice smiled weakly through her tears, “Petey,”

Peter groaned and shook his head, “God I thought that nickname died when we hit puberty.”

Alice giggled wetly, “Petey the Big Bad Wolf. And wasn’t Anna-”

“Little Red, my partner in crime.” Peter finished with a smile. Alice wiped at the tears on her face and shook her head.

“Back then I used to think about what it would be like to mate with you.” Alice cleared her throat, “Nothing inappropriate. I just,” She paused in thought, “I just knew that it’s what everyone always wanted for us. I wanted it too sometimes.”

Peter nodded, “I’ve never been one for doing what’s expected of me.”

Alice laughed again, “Yeah no. You used to drive Talia crazy.”

Peter slid his foot out and nudged the sole of her boot, “I didn’t know I was going to mate Lydia when you scent marked me. Honestly, I didn’t expect to mate at all again after…” it was Peter’s turn to clear his throat, “I don’t think you and I would have been happy if we mated just for our families.”

Alice shrugged, “It’s no secret that my pack brings nothing to the table-”

“Ally you’re practically family. Talia would have honored the treaty between our ancestors regardless of our mating.”

Alice shook her head stubbornly, “I need numbers, Peter. An Alpha is only as good as her pack. Things are peaceful now but if a stronger pack were to come along and challenge me for my territory we’d be done for before you and Talia could help us.”

Peter absorbed Alice’s words. He’d known she hadn’t harbored deep romantic feelings for him, yet he’d forgotten that as Alpha she had a lot more on her shoulders than mating strategically. Immediately, an idea popped into his head that would solve several problems at once.

“Look, I can help you with your numbers problem without mating you. Why didn’t you come to me about this issue before proposing this whole mating business?”

Alice looked conflicted, “I came to your sister to let her know I’d be building my pack in the coming months and I wanted to update the terms of our treaty. It was her who suggested we mate.”

For a second Peter felt a fierce rage, unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. And then all at once, that rage faded into something low and simmering in his gut. A sort of fury that filled his body with tingling energy. It would have to wait though, he had to get through tonight before he could confront his sister once and for all.

“Let’s start back to the house,” Peter spoke woodenly. It was the only way he could keep his wolf in check for the next few hours. All of his instincts raged at his sisters meddling with his life. Yet he had more sense than to show that in front of someone outside of the pack, ally or not.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not exactly the ending I had in mind but done is better than nothing.

Peter survived the rest of pack night by sticking close to Lydia and staying in his wolf form. While his family ran through the Preserve and in the yard Peter lay on his belly at Lydia’s side on the covered porch. His father and mother sat at Lydia’s other side with photo albums dating back at least to the invention of cameras. It was around midnight that they retired to their bed in the guest room, Peter still in wolf form and Lydia clutching pictures of Peter in his youth.

“Are you really going to sleep like this?” Lydia huffed once Peter nosed the door shut behind her.

He answered her by climbing onto the foot of the bed and placed his head on his paws. Lydia rolled her eyes but stripped down into her pajamas anyway. After brushing her teeth and braiding her hair out of her face, she gave Peter’s head a thorough rub. Seconds after she fell asleep, Peter was up and transforming into his human form. He wasted no time quietly leaving the room he was sharing with Lydia to run barefoot up the stairs to his sister’s office.

Talia was exactly where he’d expected her to be, working at her desk. Her dark hair was pulled up into a bun and she still smelled like smoke from the barbecue and pine from the woods. She didn’t look up when Peter let himself, instead, she continued writing whatever she was scribbling down on the paper.

“You offered me up to Alice and her pack.” He didn’t ask her. Peter didn’t want to give her a chance to try his patience by lying.

“She needed the numbers, you’d distanced yourself from the pack anyway I didn’t think it would matter.” Talia shrugged, “You were determined to remain unmated. I couldn’t chance you becoming unhinged further in the future and challenging Derek for his spot as Laura’s Second.”

Peter snorted, “If you think your son has what it takes to become a Second then your more delusional than I thought.”

Talia opened her mouth to reply but Peter cut her off, “I solved Alice’s problem. The way I would have had you consulted me as your Second in the first place.”

Talia scowled, “And how did you do that?”

Peter smirked, “I gave her the lacrosse kids. They’re without an Alpha and spend all their time with our pack anyway so we’d never have to worry about future conflict. Erica has taken a shine to that Boyd boy so I’ll imagine they’ll mate and she’ll follow him to join Alice’s pack.”

The pencil in Talia’s hand snapped.

“Derek is going to mate the Sheriff’s kid if he doesn’t manage to fuck himself over with his own dense stupidity. So we’ll lose one pack member and gain another in quick succession.”

They weren’t just gaining a pack member, they were gaining a Spark. No offense to Erica, he loved her like one of his own nieces, but the tradeoff was a good one. Talia, of course, wouldn’t have seen that. She’d have probably tried to mate Derek with another wolf or worse, hurt Stiles’ feelings to keep him away from their pack. Now, if she wanted to keep their numbers even and give them even a hope of an advantage over their enemies, she had to make nice.

“The last thing I’m going to say, and this is the last time I’m going to say it,” Peter stared into his Alpha’s eyes and let his own bleed red, “If you ever interfere in my life again, outside of your role as acting Alpha, I will leave this pack and start my own.”

Talia went white, “Peter, what do you mean?”

“We both know that as an Alpha I don’t need to be in a pack to be sane. I’d never want to take Lydia away from you but as my mate, she’s all I need to start the groundwork for the next line of Hale werewolves. And when we have children, you will never see them.”

Talia’s face went sour and her eyes bled read, “Are you challenging me then? Is this what this is all about?”

Peter shook his head. Like her son, his sister had no imagination, “No, it’s a warning. And a reminder. I am your brother, I am your Second, and I am your beta. In. That. Order. I will obey you as my Alpha and I will love you as my sister but I am willing to leave you if you do not stop trying to control my life.”

Having said his piece, Peter let himself out of his sister’s room and made the trek back to the guest room holding his mate. He trusted that his sister would take his threats at face value. If she didn’t that meant losing one of the most valuable members of her pack. And where he went, Lydia went. That would prompt Stiles to think twice about joining Talia’s pack because his loyalties still lie with Lydia after everything they went through together. He loved his sister, his family, and his pack but Peter refused to let them take his autonomy away. 

The last time he’d sacrificed for the good of the pack he’d lost a daughter. He would burn Beacon Hills to the ground before he allowed Talia to guilt him again.


End file.
